Journey of the Iron Mage
by HarryStarkINC
Summary: It has taken me a while, but the Iron Mage Series is back. A start from the beginning. This is the story of what happens when Harry Potter is raised by Tony Stark.
1. Chapter 1

Tony Stark climbed into the Rolls Royce that had been waiting for him. He had just given a speech at a conference about better business practices. His assistant, Virginia 'Pepper' Potts, climbed in after him.

"Let's get some lunch Happy," Tony told his driver, Harold 'Happy' Hogan.

"Any place in particular sir?"

"Do you have any preferences Pepper?"

"As long as it is not fast food," said the lovely red head. "Now Tony, we need to go over the rest of the days schedule. We have a couple of hours until your meeting with members of Parliament. Please, whatever you do, do not use your horrible British Accent."

"It's not that horrible is it?"

"It is offensive and doesn't even really sound British."

Tony agreed, if for no other reason than to make her happy. Even with all the other women he had in his life, the one Tony wanted more than any other was the one that would not have him.

While at lunch, Pepper noticed Tony staring out the window, his eyes beginning to focus on something.

"Tony, have you even been listening to me?"

He didn't say anything. He jumped out of his seat and ran outside. Pepper, didn't even have time to question him. She got up and chased after her boss.

"You ungrateful little shit!"

A large man slapped a small child, sending the kid down to the ground.

"I'll teach you a thing or two about respect."

The man lifted his hand to strike the child again. Before he could even blink, he was knocked down to the ground after a fist hit him in his face.

"Keep your fat ass on the ground or else the next thing to hit you will be my foot," said Tony glaring at the man.

"How dare you strike my husband," yelled a woman holding a rather fat child. "Let us deal with the little freak however we feel."

Pepper stepped in between her and Tony.

"Tony, the police are on their way."

After the police arrived and took the man into custody and after Tony gave his statement, he and Pepper went to the hospital to check on the boy.

"Is he going to be alright," asked Pepper.

"The boy is malnourished, weak, and has suffered years of physical abuse," said the doctor. "He has years of bruising and scarring all over him. We are going to keep him over night and then he will be taken to one of the local orphanages."

"An orphanage? Does he not have any living relatives," asked Pepper.

"None. His parents are both deceased as are grandparents on both sides. The Dursleys were his only living relatives."

Pepper looked at Tony with her eyes filled with sadness.

"He can't be put into an orphanage. Not after everything he has been through."

Tony knew what she wanted him to do, he just wasn't sure how to go about doing it."

"Doc, is there someone I could talk to about possibly taking custody of the boy," asked Tony.

"We have a representative from Child Services in the hospital. I could introduce you."

"Thank you."

While Tony went off with the doctor, Pepper went to visit the young man. She walked into the room and found the boy sitting in a bed reading a book about science. It looked a bit advanced for a child of his age.

"Hello," said Pepper as she approached him.

"Hi. Do you work in the hospital," asked the little boy. His hair was disheveled and he was covered in bruises.

"No. I work for the man that you met earlier today," said Pepper as she sat down next to his bed.

"The man who got my uncle put in jail?"  
"Yes."

She got a better look at the book he was reading. She had thought he was looking at it for the pictures but quickly realized that the book had very few pictures in it.

"Do you understand everything in that book?"

"Not yet, but that is why I am reading it. Am I in trouble?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"I got my uncle put in jail. Aunt Petunia will be furious."

"You don't have to worry about them anymore. What's your name?"

"Harry. Harry Potter. What's yours?"

"Pepper Potts."

Pepper stayed with Harry until Tony came informing her it was time to go.

"Goodbye Harry," she said with a smile.

"Goodbye Pepper. And goodbye Mr. Tony," said Harry.

"We'll see you around kid."

Tony and Pepper left the hospital and went back to their hotel and had dinner. Over dinner, Pepper could not stop talking about Harry.

"He is truly amazing. He is smart. And not just regular smart. He is smart like you. He loves to read and learn. He has a real interest in engineering and all that stuff that I know very little about."

"Good. It will be nice having another genius around the house."

"Really?"

"It will take some time before I could adopt him, but since he has no family, it was not hard to convince the government to grant me custody. It also helps that I donated a nice amount to a new research wing at the hospital."

Pepper jumped out of her chair and hugged her boss.

Tony just smiled knowing he made her happy.

"I am hoping that you will consider moving in. I am going to need help."

Pepper then did something that took them both by surprise. She kissed Tony. It was not very long, but it was perfect in Tony's mind.

"I'm sorry," began Pepper.

"I'm not," said Tony.

"Your my boss. That is not appropriate."

"Then you're fired," said Tony.

Pepper looked shocked. She could not tell if he was serious.

"Or, we can continue on and just let things go on. I for one would hate to lose such a good assistant."

He and Pepper finished dinner and returned to their hotel room for the evening. The next morning, the new couple arrived at the hospital greeted by the representative from Child Services.

"Mr. Stark, there has been a change since we talked yesterday," said the woman.

"What kind of change?"

She led Tony and Pepper into a conference room where an older man was waiting for them.

"Mr. Stark, this is Albus Dumbledore. He is here on behalf of Harry's parents."

"I thought they were dead," said Pepper.

"They are," said Dumbledore as he stood up. "I am here simply to make sure that he is placed in the care of the person they had originally named as his legal guardian."

"Do you have any documented proof of this," asked Tony.

"I have shown the proper people the will of Harry's parents. It clearly named his Godfather as his guardian."

"If that is the case, then how is it that he ended up with the abusive asshole that I found him with yesterday?"  
"Because I was in jail," said a man as he walked into the room.

"Sirius," growled Dumbledore.

"Excuse me," said Pepper.

"Sirius Black. I am Harry's Godfather, and for the past three and a half years, I have been in prison. I was innocent and the evidence had been given to Dumbledore, but it just now somehow made it to the proper authorities. I am willing to sign over custody to you under one condition."

"And what condition would that be," asked Pepper.

"All I ask is to be a part of Harry's life. His mother and father were my best friends."

"You know that I live in the United States, right?"

"Then I will be moving. I don't have anything tying me here anymore."

"Well then, I guess Pepper can go tell Harry the good news while we go deal with all the paperwork," said Tony, smiling at Dumbledore.

"You have not heard the last of me," growled the old man.

"Actually, I have. I will have a restraining order against you within the hour. If you even think of coming near me, or Harry, you will become very familiar with some of my close friends."

Dumbledore stormed out of the room, furious.

"That man has been trying to control people's lives for years," said Sirius. "I partly blame him for Lily and James being dead."

"Are those Harry's parents?"

"Yeah, but we can talk about that later. Why don't we go fill out the proper paperwork and talk more about our arrangement."  
While Tony and Sirius stayed with the representative from Child Services, Pepper found her way up to Harry's room. She once again found him sitting in his bed reading a book about stuff she did not understand.

"How are you feeling Harry?"

"I'm good. The doctor told me I will get to leave today. I don't know where I am going though."

"How would you like to come live with Tony and me?"

"That would be nice. I can do all the cooking and cleaning and I won't get in the way," said the young child.

Pepper became emotional thinking about all the crap his family had put him through if he thought that is what was expected of him.

"Harry, you won't have to do any of that," explained Pepper, sitting on the bed next to him. "Tony and I just want you to be a normal kid. Have fun."

"I don't know how to have fun. I wasn't allowed too with my aunt and uncle. They didn't even like me learning. I had to hide it from them. I would read when they would leave the house."

"Learning is the one thing you will be encouraged to do with Tony. You are as smart as he was when he was a kid, maybe even smarter. Anything you are interested in, we will make sure you can learn about it. We may not know everything, but we know a lot of people that do."

"Mr. Stark is really smart. I read an article about him one day on the internet. I want to be like him."

Pepper just smiled. The two talked about his likes and dislikes until Tony arrived in the room.

"I hope Pepper has told you the good news."

"You are taking me home with you."

"Yup. And after talking with some people, if you like, I could even adopt you. You would become my son."

Pepper watched as Tony waited for the answer from Harry. For the first time, Tony looked eager about a simple question.

"Will that make Pepper my mom?"

Tony had not expected that question, and neither had Pepper.

"Well. I don't see why she couldn't be," said Tony looking at Pepper with a grin. She was blushing at the thought. "She has done good taking care of me. I'm kind of like a big kid. The only difference between me and you is my toys are a lot more expensive."

"I don't have any toys," said Harry, lowering his head. Tony felt like shit but quickly changed the boys mood.

"Then that is the first thing we fix. As soon as we leave, we are going clothes shopping and toy shopping. Sound like a plan?"

Harry just smiled. After the doctor came in and gave them their discharge papers, Tony and Pepper walked down the hall with Harry in between them. He was holding their hands and smiling a big smile. He now had a loving family. As they made their way to the main lobby, the two adults froze as they saw a large crowd waiting to get a glimpse of Tony, Pepper, and the boy that Tony had adopted.

"Sometimes, I really hate being famous," said Tony.

"We can't have him exposed to those vultures so soon," said Pepper. "What are we going to do?"

"I'll have security block of the parking garage that is below. I'll have Happy meet us down there and we go out the back way. Tinted window, no one will see anything."

"Yeah, but they already know which hotel we are at. They will just keep stalking us."  
"Then I need you to do a quick press conference. Just confirm that I have taken custody of a child and that the adoption process has been started. Ask them to respect our privacy, blah, blah, blah. Then come meet us down in the garage. Tell them that if they respect our privacy this one time, then I will do a full Q & A session once we get back home."

While Pepper prepared to face the hordes of media, Harry and Tony went down to the basement to wait for her.

"Isn't Pepper coming with us," Harry asked, concerned that they were going to leave her.

"She is. She just has to talk to some people. I don't know if you know who I am?"  
"Your Tony Stark. And your my new dad."

The words hit Tony hard. It took all the willpower he had not to burst into tears. Those words made him happier than he had ever thought they would have.

"Right. Well, I am also really famous, and when you are really famous, people like to know everything that you do. Especially if you are me. She is just telling them that I am taking you home with me and that I am going to adopt you. She is also letting them know that with all the dumb things I have done before, this is not a publicity stunt."

Tony stopped when he realized that he was talking to a five year old. As smart as Harry was, he did not need to be talked to like one.

"She's just reassuring everyone that I am adopting you because it is what I want to do."

Meanwhile

Pepper stepped out in front of the media and pulled out the quick speech she had written down.

"Alright everyone. This is going to be brief. I will not be taking any questions afterwards. As many of you some how found out, Tony Stark has taken custody of a young boy. He has started the adoption process, which can take some time. This is not a stunt. Tony and the young man have much in common, and Tony felt a feeling he has never experienced before. A fatherly tug at his heart. Tony does not believe in fate. He believes that he met this child when he did for a reason. Tony is asking that you all give him some privacy while he gets to know his new son better. You all Tony usually will do interviews and let you take his pictures for hours. Just this once, he is asking for some privacy. If you all give us the space we are asking for, Tony will hold a full Q&A session once we are home and settled. And just to give you all something interesting to write about, Tony and I are officially dating."

With that last phrase, Pepper ran back into the hospital and made her way down to the garage. She could not believe that she just told the world about her and Tony. As she came closer to the car, she noticed something very wrong, yet very right. Tony and Harry were sitting on the ground, both covered in grease and surrounded by car parts.

"What is going on here," asked Pepper with a huge smile on her face.

"He wanted to know what I liked to do. I figured I'd show him. He learns really quick. Check this out. Harry, which one of these is the camshaft?"

Harry looked around and then pointed to the correct part.

"Very good. So how was the press conference?"

"We will see if they listen. I did give them some juicy news to hold them over."

"And what kind of news was that?"

"I told them about us."

Tony dropped the tool he had in his hand when he heard what she had done.

"Really? I would have thought you would have wanted to keep things a secret for a while."

"Did you not want me to tell everyone," she asked, seeming slightly insulted.

"Are you kidding? If it were me, I would have put up billboards telling everyone that I now have the woman of my dreams."

That made Pepper smile. Happy arrived with another car and took the new family back to the hotel. None of the media had followed them. After getting a quick shower, the three took off to get Harry clothes and toys. Pepper had gotten some stores to close for a few hours so that Harry and Tony were not harassed. After an hour of trying on everything he could find, Harry left the first store with a whole new wardrobe. He left the store in a suit that matched Tony. Pepper took a picture to commemorate the special occasion. The next stop was the toy store. Not surprisingly, Harry went for all the different type of building toys and construction toys. He also stocked up on all kinds of books. Since they still had to travel overseas, most of the toys and clothes were shipped back to New York. He kept a few of the books to keep him occupied during the flight home. After a long day of shopping, the three returned to the hotel. Harry had fallen asleep in the car. Tony carried him up to the room and placed him in the bed Pepper had been sleeping in.

"How does it feel to be a parent," Pepper asked Tony as he climbed into the bed next to her.

"Exhausting. It is going to be fun. You weren't kidding about how smart he was. I think we will have to get him a private tutor. That way he can learn at his pace."

"Please don't push him too hard."

"I'm not going to push at all. He will learn at his pace. If he takes the normal time to graduate from high school, then I will be fine with that. If he has a Doctorate by the time he is 12, then I will be flabbergasted and officially shown up."

Tony wrapped his arms around Pepper, enjoying the moment. His life had become complete.

The next morning, Tony, Pepper, and Harry were joined by Sirius Black for breakfast. After introducing Harry to his godfather, the three adults began talking about their arrangement.

"So have you considered my offer to come to the states with us," asked Tony. "I have a guest house you can stay in until you get a place of your own. I can even get you a job. I know a lot of people."

"I have taken care of what I need to over here. I had all my finances transferred to an American branch of my bank. I also would love to be close to Harry, so I will take the guest house. As for the job, there is something I need to discuss with the two of you, but I can't do it here. Don't worry, it is nothing illegal. It is just… complicated."

"Well, wheels up in two hours. Do you need a ride to the airport?"

"No. I will meet you there."

After breakfast, everyone met at the airport. Sirius was waiting for them by the plane. A few hours into the flight, and after Harry had fallen asleep, Sirius told Tony and Pepper his secret.

"Now that we are over international waters, I can explain something about Harry and I that is very important. Something you really need to know about. I have no idea how to explain this so I will just say it. Harry and I are wizards."

Tony and Pepper stared at Sirius, trying to figure out if he was joking or being one hundred percent serious.

"I can tell that you don't believe me. Let me show you then. Sirius saw an empty vase. He pulled out his wand, and with a wave of his hand, flowers appeared in the vase.

"So you can do magic tricks," said Tony, still not understanding what Sirius was saying.

"Not exactly. I never thought this would be hard to explain. I guess it would be easier if we weren't in a plane. One big spell and we all would go crashing down. Magic and electricity do not work well together. Now, to try and better explain what Harry and I are. I am a fully trained wizard. I can perform spells, curses, fly on a broom, brew potions, and have seen things you would never be able to fully understand until you see them for yourself. Harry has no training. I am pretty sure he doesn't even know he is a wizard. His aunt and uncle hated Lily and James. They hated magic. Always called them freaks. Stupid muggles."

"Stupid what," asked Pepper.

"Oh. Sorry. A muggle is a term used in the magical community. It means non magic person. Regular people. Anyways, as Harry gets older, he will start displaying accidental magic. It can be small things like things disappearing and reappearing somewhere completely random to entire windows vanishing and then returning for no reason. He won't even know he is doing it. It could happen right now."

"And what if that happens while we are still airborne," asked Tony.

"I put magical block to prevent any accidents. I will have to remove them when we get to your home. When I do, it is very possible that a small EMP wave will shoot out, causing all electronics to fail."

"That is possibly problematic with my line of work. Has anyone tried to make magic work with electronics?"

"It is more like making the electronics work in magic rich environments. That is something I wanted to talk to you about. I have the money to conduct R&D to try and solve this issue. It would change the wizarding world forever. I know magic. I don't know a damn thing about electronics. I was thinking of possibly having you work with me at first, and then just be a silent partner in the company."

"Why not just add a department in Stark Industries," asked Pepper.

"Because when you start a company that is strictly a magic based company, you only have to report it to the magical departments. Adding to your existing company could make things complicated, since you would have to cover up an entire division."

"You have given this a lot of thought," said Tony, still thinking about all the possibilities of being a part of a company that is the first of its kind.

"I don't really have anything better to do with my time. I thought about it all last night."

"Why don't we just see if we can find the root problem first. I may need to bring in some other friends of mine."

"Can we trust them with mine and Harry's secret?"

"I guess I should divulge some more information about me. I too have secrets. My friends have secrets. Well not as secret as me. They do keep my secret though."

Tony told Sirius about him being Iron Man and his working with the Avengers and the other Super Hero teams. Sirius just laughed.

"That isn't really a secret. Everyone knows it's you. No one is buying that body guard story."

"I told you," said Pepper.

The rest of the flight went by quickly. After Harry, woke up, Sirius disclosed the same information he had just told Tony and Pepper. Harry seemed to accept it, talking about weird things happening when he was with his aunt and uncle. The arrived in California and after a short car ride, Harry arrived at his new home.

"This is your house?"

"Actually, this is our house," said Pepper. Tony just smiled at the thought. "You are part of this family now."

The four were greeted by Tony's butler, Jarvis.

"Welcome home sir. I take it this is the newest addition to the family."

"Jarvis, this is Harry. Harry, this is our butler Jarvis."

"We have a butler?"

"Yeah. He is also like another member of the family. And Jarvis, this is Harry's godfather, Sirius Black. Is the guest house ready?"

"Of course sir. Will Mr. Black be staying long?"

"It's just Sirius, and I'll be here until I can get a good deal on a nice place."

Jarvis led Harry and the others to his new bedroom. As soon as he saw it, he began to cry.

"What's wrong Harry," asked a concerned Pepper.

I'm happy. Thank you."

He hugged Pepper and Tony both. The couple shed a few tears knowing that they made his dreams come true just by bringing him home with them. After the hug, Harry began running around, looking at all his toys, books, and jumping onto his new, massive bed. Tony took Sirius over to the guest house to show him where he would be staying. It was not as big as the main house, but it was bigger than most regular homes.

"What do you think?"

"Do I have to find a new place anytime soon?"

"Take your time. This place is usually where business associates stay. Now I have a reason to have them stay at a hotel. Full bar in the living room. There is a TV in the bedroom, living room, and in the bathroom."

"In the bathroom? I have never owned a TV, but I have seen them. Never have I seen one in a bathroom."

"You've never had a TV?"

"Grew up in a pure magic household. I missed out on all types of things. I have always been curious what an Atari is."  
As the two talked, the power went out.

"That is odd," said Tony.

"No. That is not good," said Sirius as he realized what had happened. Tony then heard Pepper scream for him. As he began running to the main house, Sirius grabbed his arm and apparated to where Pepper was. She was holding Harry, who had passed out. Sirius grabbed him while Tony vomited after his first experience apparating.

"He is fine. He is just resting. Magic at such a young age when untrained can take its toll on the body. He will just need to rest."

"I thought you had prevented this from happening," cried Pepper.

"I did. And I didn't remove the barriers either."

"What does that mean," asked Tony.

"It means that Harry is going to be a very powerful wizard. It means that he is going to have to start training sooner. It also means we need to really get going on our little project. Call whoever you need too."

**This is the first step in the retelling of my Iron Mage Series. Much of it will seem the same. Those who remember the originals will notice some big differences. I hope you all like it. As always, please review. Next chapter might already be up.**


	2. Chapter 2

Two and a half years had passed since Harry Potter came to live with Tony Stark. Both of their lives changed for the better. Six months after meeting Harry, Tony adopted him, officially making him Harry Stark. Six months after that, Tony and Pepper got married. The family moved to New York into a neighborhood built for Tony and his friends. Next door to the Stark's modest home lived Clint Barton and his wife Bobbi, better known to most people as Hawkeye and Mockingbird. Harry just called them Uncle Clint and Aunt Bobbi. They were not ready to have kids of their own seeing as both of them were agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and did work with the Avengers. They loved having Harry around. His time with them got him interested in using a bow and learning martial arts. He was a quick learner, taking his training very seriously. He also took his education seriously. He took advantage of having a tutor and being able to learn at his own pace. It was his eighth birthday and he was almost done with his high school education.

The other big change affected more than just Harry and Tony. It changed the entire wizarding world. Within a couple of months of bringing Harry home, Tony and Sirius, along with the help of Reed Richards of the Fantastic 4, found a way to make electronic devices work in areas dense in magic energy. They did not look at magic as something mystic. They looked at it as a new energy source. They developed new wiring and a converter that would take the magical energy and convert it to electrical energy. They also learned that with the magical devices, no power source was needed. As soon as the first prototype proved successful, Mage Tech was born. Sirius was the president and CEO. Reed and Tony were silent investors that were more than happy with the returns their investments brought. The wizarding world also benefited. Due to such incredible demands, four factories were built in the United States, reducing the unemployment rate in the wizarding world by twenty five percent. Life was good.

Harry came out of his room, and went down to the kitchen where Jarvis was busy cooking breakfast.

"Good Morning Sir," greeted Jarvis. "And happy birthday."

"Thanks Jarvis. What's for breakfast?"

"Waffles, eggs, bacon, and sausage."

"Awesome."

Harry sat down at the table and began tearing into his favorite breakfast. He had always loved waffles, even when he had to cook them. Jarvis did something that just made them even better.

"Happy birthday Harry," said Pepper as she walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks mom. Where's dad?"

"Dr. McCoy called him and Sirius over to Xavier's. He won't be gone long. So what do you want to do today?"

"Well, I have a test I need to study for. Chemistry. And then I thought I might start a project in dad's lab. Maybe build my own suit."

Pepper looked stunned. Harry just smiled at her face.

"I'm kidding mom."

Pepper breathed a sigh of relief.

"So what do you want to really do today?"

"I don't know. Nothing big. A party isn't necessary. I mean all the people that come are adults. It turns into a social gathering for dad and his friends. It is always entertaining when Johnny and Ben come over. Their fights are always fun to watch. I actually wanted to talk to you and dad about something."

"Why don't you talk to me now and then we will talk to your dad, if he needs to be brought into the conversation."

Pepper sat down next to Harry.

"You and dad have been asking me what I want for my birthday for a while now. I think I have figured out what I want."

"That's great. What do you want?'

"I want to start a charity."

Pepper was taken aback at what he had just said. Harry was never a normal spoiled rich kid. He had grown up having nothing. He knew the value of being humble. He never asked for anything. He had new things, but that is just because Tony and Pepper would get him things. He treasured everything. But this was a new level of humble.

"Not that I have any argument, but why? What kind of charity?"

"Something for kids that are in the situation I was in. Abusive houses. Orphaned. I got lucky. A lot of kids aren't. I want to have a place that can take them in. A place where they feel wanted. Build an orphanage that doesn't feel like a prison. I've seen the orphanages nowadays. I would hate to be there."

"I think we can make something happen. You do know that if this is what you want to do, you will have to be more sociable. Raising money for a charity takes a lot of work. If we do this, you would have to go onto talk shows and make people want to donate."

"I know. I figured I could talk dad into having Stark Industries be one of the corporate sponsors."

"You really have thought about this haven't you? Well, why don't we go to lunch as a family and talk to your dad about your idea. I know he will say yes, but it is always good to ask. For now, why don't you finish eating breakfast and then go down to the garage. I think I have finally found a way to outdo your father in the gift giving department."

"Mom, it's not a competition."

"I know. But it will be hard for him to top what I have done. You have been working on engines ever since we first took you out of the hospital back in England. I figure it is time you graduated. I think it is time you stepped up your game, as the kids nowadays would say."

"What are you talking about?"

Pepper handed him a small thumb drive.

"A thumb drive?"

"It has all the instructions on how to build a car from the ground up."

Harry's eyes grew in excitement. He jumped out of his chair and hugged Pepper, kissing her on the cheek.

"You are the coolest mom ever!"

Harry ran down to the garage and got to work going over the plans. Tony arrived home and was greeted by Pepper with a huge grin on her face.

"Harry has told me what he wants for his birthday. And I gave him a birthday gift that will be hard for you to beat."

"Impossible. I am the best gift giver ever. What does he want?"

Pepper explained what Harry had told her. Tony wasn't really surprised.

"We have a good hearted kid. We can work out some of the details at lunch. Where is he?"

"Working on my gift," said Pepper with a huge smile.

Tony was perplexed when he heard the word working. She usually got Harry things he needed and Tony gave him all the cool building things. He gotten him his own work bench and tools this year. He went down to the garage and found Harry looking at blueprints on his computer.

"Happy birthday Harry. Whatch working on?"

"Mom's gift. I get to build a car!"

Tony became jealous. Not that Pepper clearly beat him, but that she had never bought him a car kit.

"How come you get a car kit and I have to buy all mine," asked Tony jokingly.

"Because I'm cuter," quipped Harry.

"Ouch. Well, I guess I should give you my gift. It will help you while you work on your car."

Tony pulled down a large tarp that had been covering Harry's work station. Harry smiled at all the new tools.

"Now you can use your own tools and we can both work on our cars at the same time. At least I get to drive mine when I'm done."

Tony knew it was a cheap jab, but Harry laughed so it was all good.

"True, but I can have Happy drive me around in mine. Did you see what kind of car mom got me?"

Tony walked over to the computer and began to pout.

"She got you a Rolls. Really? Now I am going to have to go out and buy one to build. Why don't go clean up and change for lunch."

Harry ran upstairs past Pepper. Tony came up with a pouty face. Pepper couldn't help but laugh.

"You win this time, but just wait until I decide to let him build his own armor. Nothing will top that."

"That better not be for a long, long time," said Pepper.

"I will at least wait until he's twelve."

Pepper was not amused.

"Just kidding. I meant thirteen."

Pepper just shook her head at her husband. They went and changed for lunch and then the three Starks went to talk business.

"So your mother told me what you want for your birthday. I have no problem helping you get the charity started. You have a great cause. We won't have a hard time raising funds. All we need to do is get things moving. First thing you need is a name."

"No child left behind?"

"It's already been taken," said Pepper.

"Why not just the Harry Stark Foundation," said Tony. "Our last name will quickly get their attention. You will have to be the face of the charity though. You will have to attend events. You will have to sit in on meetings. It can get boring."

"I know. I think it will be worth it."

"Well, you and your mother can work on the finer details over the next couple of weeks. You can make your first fundraising pitch to the board of Stark Industries. You at least know them and will feel comfortable talking in front of them."

"Thanks dad."

"Well, now that we are done talking business, time to talk celebrating your birthday. We have a plane to catch."

"We do," asked Pepper, clearly not in the loop.

"Yup. Wheels up as soon as we get there."

"Where are we going," asked a curious Harry.

"Someplace we have never gone, which is kind of surprising. No more questions. Let's go."

"Don't we need clothes to change into," asked Pepper.

"What part about no more questions did we not understand. Trust that I actually have this planned out."

"Tony, for years I had to remind you of the smallest details. I can't remember how many times you would take a trip and forget small things like socks."

Tony just brushed off her comment and rushed them to the car. They took a short flight south. Harry realized where they were going when they got off the plane and were picked up in a limo with mouse ears on the hood. Harry had always wanted to go, but never asked. He may have been more mature than most kids twice his age, but he was still a kid. As soon as they arrived at the hotel, Harry rushed his parents out of the car. He couldn't wait to explore the park.

"Tony, this might beat my gift," said Pepper, kissing her husband.

"I always win. And as for the clothes, I had Jarvis pack bags for all of us. He should be up in the suite right now."

Sure enough, Jarvis was waiting for the family. He was not dressed in his usual attire. It was the first time Harry ever remembered seeing Jarvis in shorts.

"All your clothes are hanging up. If you don't need anything else, I will be at the bar."

"We're good Jarvis. Have fun," said Pepper. The three quickly changed into more appropriate clothes and set out to explore the park. After a couple of hours, the family arrived at a restaurant and where escorted to a back room where Harry was surprised by many of the Avengers, the entire Fantastic 4, and some of the X-Men. Harry was happy to have such a large extended family. Most of the Avengers thought of Harry as a nephew. When Harry first came to stay with Tony, Harry repeatedly kept calling Thor 'Uncle' Thor. That stopped after a while. Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, had grown fond of having Harry running around Avengers Tower. He had only recently begun working with Harry on self-defense techniques, adding to what Clint and Bobbi were teaching him.

As the time came to open presents, Harry revealed what he and his parents had discussed. He then opened his gifts. His favorite gift came from Bobbi and Clint. The couple had gotten him a new, top of the line bow and a bo-staff similar to Bobbi's. It came apart into two separate Eskrima sticks.

"Most people would think you were crazy giving a kid weapons like those for his birthday," said Hank McCoy.

"Yeah. But most kids aren't Harry," replied Clint.

"Thanks Uncle Clint. Thanks Aunt Bobbi."

Harry hugged his favorite aunt and uncle.

"Hank, did they come with you," asked Tony, confusing Pepper.

"Yes. After talking with Sirius, they have decided to move."

"Who are we talking about," asked Pepper.

"My sister and her family," explained Hank. "They originally came to talk to Xavier because they thought my niece was a mutant. That turned out not to be the case. She is in fact, like Harry."

"Your niece is a witch," said Harry, a hint of joy coming across his face.

"Yes. She and her parents are going to be moving into our little neighborhood, right down the street," said Tony. "Her dad is taking a position at Stark Industries. And I know it has been hard for you to keep secrets. You don't have to with them. They know all about me and Iron Man and the Avengers. They obviously know about magic. You have someone your age that you can talk to about anything. She seems quite bright too. She is going to start tutoring with you as well."

"What if she doesn't like me," asked Harry.

"Just be yourself," said Hank. "You two have a lot in common."

"Does she like cars?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself? She is right over there."

Hank pointed to a little brunette sitting with her parents. Harry began walking over to them slowly. Pepper and Tony smiled.

"He is so shy," said Pepper, a small tear forming in the corner of her eye.

"Girls are scary," said Tony. "At least they were at that age."

Harry walked up to the table, his hands behind his back.

"Hi."

"Hello," said the girl's mother. "Are you Harry?"

"Yes ma'am. Harry Stark."

"Hi. I'm Hermione Granger."

**Short chapter. It was meant to be. I know these chapters are going by quick, but that is intentional. The pace slows down soon. Keep the reviews coming. It makes me feel good knowing how much you guys like this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

Three years passed by quickly for Harry and Hermione. The two became the best of friends. They were almost inseparable. She even started working with Harry on his charity, which had become a huge success. After getting the start up funds from Stark Industries, people were lining up to support the Harry Stark Foundation. Harry had gotten used to talking in front of large groups of people. Hermione went with him to most of the events. They were named America's cutest couple, even though they both denied their being in a relationship. "We are just friends" was a common phrase out of Harry's mouth.

The two had also excelled in their educations. Harry had finished his high school courses and was already working on his first Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. Hermione was almost done with her high school education and had even started taking college level courses in business. The two did still find time to have fun and be kids. Hermione took interest in Harry's martial arts training. She started learning from Bobbi. Harry was still learning from Bobbi an Clint, but he also began learning different techniques from Cap, Wolverine of the X-Men, and the X-Man Gambit.

The two families had grown as well. Pepper gave birth to Maria Rose two days before Harry's ninth birthday. Harry enjoyed having a little sister. He had always wanted a big family. Tony was happy. Maria was a spitting image of Pepper. The little girl came out with bright red hair. The Granger's also had a little girl, born only three months after Maria. Christie Michelle looked like a young version of Hermione. Tony and Stewart Granger both agreed that another boy needed to be born. It then became an argument over who was responsible for bringing the boy into the world. Both Pepper and Melissa Granger agreed that it was going to be neither anytime soon.

It was a few days after Harry's eleventh birthday. Harry and Hermione were going to go meet with the Dean of Students at the American Wizarding Academy. Both had been invited to many different wizarding academies, and the both chose AWA due to its close proximity to their families. The school was in the Boston area. Harry was sitting in his kitchen eating breakfast when Hermione came running in the house.

"Good morning Harry. Good Morning Pepper. Good morning Maria." Hermione said cheerfully.

"Mione," cheered Maria, running to Hermione. Hermione picked up the fiery redhead and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning Hermione. I take it you are ready to go," said Pepper.

"I could barely sleep last night, I'm so excited. When are we leaving?"

"Happy will be picking us up in thirty minutes," said Harry as he finished his breakfast. "I should probably go get changed."

Harry took a quick shower and changed into nice clothes. While waiting for Harry, Hermione was playing hide and seek with Maria.

"Happy's here," announced Pepper as she saw the Rolls Royce Harry had built pull up to the front of the house.

The two said their goodbyes, hopped in the car, and were off to see the new school they would be calling home. After stopping for a quick lunch, the two arrived at the American Wizarding Academy. They found their father's and Sirius waiting for them. Also was a man Harry had met a few times.

"What took you so long," asked Tony as the kids got out of the car.

"Lunch," said Happy as he stepped out of the car. "Took a bit longer than we thought."

"Right. Well, we had better get going. Dean Jackson is waiting for us," said Sirius.

"He is looking forward to meeting the two of you," said the man standing with the fathers and Sirius.

"Are you teaching here now, Dr. Strange," asked Harry.

"I am doing some guest lectures. You won't be able to attend any of them until your later years. You may see me around though. You should get going."

Harry and Hermione followed Sirius and their fathers to the office of the Dean of Students, Alex Jackson, PhD.

"Ah. Mr. Stark, Ms. Granger, so nice to meet you. Welcome to the American Wizarding Academy. It is an honor to have you attending this fall. I am Dr. Jackson."

"Hello sir," said the two.

"I am the person to speak to if you have any questions or concerns during your time here. Speaking of questions, do you have any for me?"

"What is the dress code," asked Harry.

"Compared to most schools, we are very relaxed. European schools require you to wear robes to all classes. We have move passed some of those old traditions. During classes, you are required to wear khaki slacks and a school polo. During meals, free time, and on weekends, we just require you to dress appropriately."

"Are the kids allowed to leave on weekends," asked Stewart Granger.

"We do usually restrict students from leaving until their fourth year. We understand that Harry has obligations that he must attend. He will be allowed to leave for those functions. I also understand the Hermione, you are also involved in the charity."

"I have recently started acting as the Harry Stark Foundations Public Relations Officer."

"It is incredible how much you two do. It is hard to believe that you are only eleven years old," said Jackson. "Do you two do anything outside of studying and working?"

"Tons of things. I build cars. I am an avid archer. We both study multiple disciplines of martial arts. Hermione is a professional when it comes to shopping."

"No lie there," said Stewart. "She gets it from her mother."

"Speaking of his building cars, do you guys happen to have a garage on campus," asked Tony.

"No. I think you all would be the first that has ever even asked that before."

"Is there a plot of land on the campus that isn't really being used that we could put a garage on. I would be more than happy to pay for the space," said Harry.

"I think I might know of some areas. Just one question. What will you do when you finish a car?"

"Our driver and I will come and pick it up," said Tony. "He should only get a couple done each year."

"We can go look at some areas during the tour. Any other questions?"

Sirius stepped up and had a very serious look on his face.

"What are you going to do if someone discovers who he is?"

"What do you mean. Everyone knows who Harry Stark is."

"He is talking about what happens if someone finds I out that I was born Harry Potter, the famous wizard from England."

"Well, the only thing that would identify you as Harry Potter is the scar, and it looks as if you have found a way to conceal that."

"Yeah. Do any of the staff know?"

"No. We feel the less we tell, the less likely your past will come forth."

Harry and Tony were satisfied with that answer. Harry had started wearing a special concealer over his scar once he became the face of the foundation.

"Well, if there are no more questions, why don't we continue on with the tour."

Jackson showed the kids the dorms that they would be living in. Harry wasn't sure how he felt about sharing a room with someone. He had lived in a room by himself for years. It was also going to be hard for him to hide the scar since the concealer had to be put on every morning. Hermione was excited at the possibility of having female friends. Harry was her best friend, but she could not talk to him about certain things. While on the tour, Harry was happy to see that the school had an archery range that he could use during his free time. They also found a perfect spot of undeveloped land that was perfect for his garage.

After working out all the smaller details, the two kids and fathers were more than happy with the kids choice. Hermione left with her dad, going to meet her mother in Boston for dinner. Harry and Tony left with Happy. Sirius stayed behind to do business with the school on behalf of Mage Tech.

"So, what did you think," asked Tony.

"It's going to be interesting. I mean, most of the people I meet my age only want to talk to me because I have money."

"Over time, you will learn how to ignore those people. Stick with Hermione. Watch each other's backs. I can promise that she will keep the gold diggers away. She is feisty."

The two continued talking, mostly about ideas involving the garage. As they drove through Time Square, an explosion blasted their car into a building. Harry was dazed. He could see his dad clearing his head. Happy was kicking open his door. Tony grabbed Harry and placed him behind a counter. He then took a briefcase from Happy. Harry watched as an Iron Man suit formed around Tony. As Harry's hearing began to return, he could hear gun shots all around him. He saw Happy bringing people in off the street into the building, getting them behind cover. Harry noticed his bow that he had left in the trunk of the car. He came out from behind the counter and grabbed his bow and quiver. He notched his first arrow and took aim at one of the assailants coming towards Happy. Harry released the arrow, hitting the man in the chest. Harry quickly reloaded. He started covering for Happy as he would go out to rescuing anyone that was injured. Out of nowhere, one of the assailants took a shot at Harry, missing him by only centimeters. This caused Harry to become terrified. As the man lunged at Harry, another man tackled the assailant, saving Harry. Harry recognized the man from wanted pictures. He was the Punisher. The anti-hero. The man who did what everyone else only thought about doing. The Punisher picked up Harry and rushed him back into the building he had been in. Harry, still shaken from how close the bullet came to him, notched another arrow in his bow.

"Do not leave this building," ordered the Punisher. "Stay in here and protect the others."

Harry just nodded and did as he was told. Harry was relieved when his dad, Clint, and Wolverine came into the building.

"Please tell me you didn't try and fight," said Tony, scared that his son might have put himself in danger.

"I couldn't just sit here," cried Harry. Tony could tell that Harry was terrified. This was the worst thing any child could have seen. Harry was tough, but the carnage was horrible.

"At least you are alright," said Tony, wrapping his arms around Harry. "At least you are safe."  
Harry got checked out by medics while Tony and the other heroes helped look for any possible hidden injured. Once Harry was cleared medically, Sirius arrived and apparated him home, where Pepper was in hysterics. She refused to let go of Harry. She noticed the blood on him. She was relieved that it was not his. He didn't say anything. He just cried in her arms. The news labeled it a domestic terrorist attack. The group just wanted to cause anarchy. Harry fell asleep in Pepper's arms. She carried him to his room, just happy to have her son alive.

The next morning, Harry went out into the kitchen and found it empty. He went down to the lab. He found Tony sitting at his workbench, balls of paper covering the floor.

"Dad," said Harry softly.

Harry ran over to his dad. Tony cried as he hugged his son.

"I'm so happy you're ok. I heard what you did."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to help."

"I'm not mad. You did exactly what I would have done. The bad thing is you could have been killed."

"I know. The bullet came so close," said Harry, sobbing into Tony's shoulder.

"I heard. Frank told me. He also told me that you saved a lot of people and Happy."

"Who's Frank," asked Harry, not knowing the name.

"Frank Castle. The Punisher."

Harry had never heard The Punisher's name before.

"What are you working on," asked Harry, trying to get his mind off the day before.

"I don't know. This is what I do when I have something like yesterday happen. I want to build new suits, but I have no need for anything new."

"What about one for me?"

Tony froze. He had not wanted Harry to even think about having an armor of his own. Tony saw the armor as a gift and curse.

"After yesterday, I want to be able to stay safe and help people. Your armor could have taken the bullet and then taken out the guy who shot it. I don't want to run around like a hero. I just want to make sure the next time something like this happens, I can be better prepared."

"You know your mother will not like the idea."

"Did you tell her how close I came to getting shot?"

"No, and I have no intention of telling her. She would die of fear. We will do this, but only because I want you to be safe at all times."

The two dried their eyes and began coming up with ideas for what the suit would be capable of. Around lunch time, Sirius joined them, checking on how they were doing after the attack. He wasn't surprised at what they were doing.

"So what all are you wanting this thing to do?"

"So far, it has to be able to stop a large caliber projectile. That is a given. He then started adding all kinds of magic things that I have no idea about," explained Tony.

"I want it to be able to put up magical shielding. Then I will be safe from both firearms and magic. It might also be cool to be able to shoot spells out of blasters. Maybe launch arrows out somewhere."

"And just how are you planning on powering this. It would have to be able to withstand extreme amounts of magical energy."

"This is going to be the most complex suit built," said Tony, who had a gleam in his eye. "We need to start small. Something to just protect you. Simple and basic. If that works, then we will start moving onto a suit."  
"Like a bullet proof vest," asked Harry.

"Yeah. Now, what requirements do you have for a vest that you will wear often?"  
"It has to be flexible. That means it is going to require magic since we want to be able to stop a high caliber projectile. We are going to need metal, and not steel."

"Nope. We are going to need either Adamantium or Vibranium," said Tony. "Not exactly easy to come across. I guess I could see if T'Challa would sell us some. I am sure if it is to keep you safe, I can get some. What else does it need to do?"  
"Well, if you already have magic involved, why not add extra shielding. A simple protection spell. Make it to where the shield can absorb the spell, adding power to the vest," suggested Sirius.

"Is this going to need a power source," asked Harry. "Couldn't we just enchant the vest?"

"We could, but if this is building towards a new armor, we are going to have to solve the power issue."

"Why don't we just fabricate the vest. It will at least keep me safe. That will make mom feel better and be a nice platform to form a suit around."

"I'll call T'Challa and see what I can get out of him."

"I'll start figuring out how to make all the spells work together."

"What do I do," asked Harry.

"Go see Hermione. She has been calling to see if you are ok," said Pepper, catching all the guys by surprise. "Why are you all looking at me like I caught you doing something you're not supposed to be doing?"  
"We are just coming up with designs for a protective vest for Harry. Yesterday freaked him out and he wanted something to keep him safe just in case something like that ever happens again," explained Tony.

"So you three are not designing my eleven year old son a suit of armor?"

"No," said Tony. "That fell apart when we realized how complicated it was going to be. That is a later project."

Harry just ran past Pepper, while she had a long talk with Tony. He ran down to the Granger house and found Hermione sitting on her front porch swing, reading a book. She jumped out of the swing as soon as she saw Harry.

"Harry! I was so scared."

"That makes two of us," said Harry as she greeted him at the gate. "Terrified would probably be a better way to describe how I felt."

Hermione could tell that Harry was still shaken up by the experience. She dropped the topic, instead inquiring what he and his dad were working on.

"Yesterday scared all of us. Dad and I more so. He and I were working with Sirius on a kind of bullet proof vest for me. Something I could have on at all times. I hope I never need it again, but it will be nice to have just in case. And we were also talking about a future project."

"What kind of future project?"

"One that I am not allowed to talk about right now," said Harry with a smile. The response sounded just like Tony.

"You tell me everything. Why can't you tell me this?"

"Because I am not sure if my dad wants me talking about it yet. It may very well not happen. There is a lot of data to crunch and too many variables that we are not sure about. Once I know it is going to happen, you will be the first to know. I promise."

"Fine. So what do you think about the school?"

"I've never really been to a school. I don't know what to think. I don't have anything to compare it to."

The two talked about the school and what they thought the experience of living away from their families was going to be like.

The next day, Tony and Sirius woke Harry up and dragged him down to the lab. He had not even had time to ask what was going on.

"We have figured out what to do," said Sirius, who sounded as giddy as a school boy who just saw his first girlfriend naked.

"Huh," said Harry, still groggy.

"We have figured out how to make the vest work properly. T'Challa sent me a fair amount of Vibranium, so we can start the fabrication," explained Tony.

"And I have figured out which enchantments will work together. The first step towards a magical Iron Man suit is now!"

"Iron Mage," said Harry. "If I am going to have a suit, even if it is only for limited use, I want it to be called the Iron Mage suit."

"Sounds cool to me. Now let's get working on the vest. Take off your shirt and stand in front of the green sheet hanging up."

"A green sheet? Kind of low tech for you, isn't it?"

Tony just shook his head. Harry was becoming more like him every day.

"You learn to use what you have. It is called being resourceful."

Harry did as his father instructed. After the scans were complete, a machine began cutting the parts of the vest. Harry was confused when a large metal t-shirt came out.

"I thought this was only going to be a vest?"

"It was, until Sirius told me what he can do to it."

"With the enchantments I will be putting on the vest, you will be able to wear it under any shirt. As you can tell, the shirt is very thin. Less than 1/16th of an inch. When I am done, the metal will move like a regular shirt. You won't even be able to tell that it is on. It will only be visible when you have no other shirt on top. It will blend in with your other shirts, mimicking color and texture. This allows better protection. The shielding enchantments will protect you from any incoming spell or curse. It will also help stop firearms and environmental hazards like fire and lightning. It will have a radius of six feet, which mean you can also protect others."

While Sirius worked on enchanting the metal shirt, Harry and Tony explained what it would do to Pepper. She was relieved to hear that it would keep Harry safe from almost anything.

"If you were a witch, I would have you in one, but we have yet to figure out how to make magical stuff work on us regular people," explained Tony.

It took a couple of hours for Sirius to do his part. He came up from the lab as soon as he was done, holding what looked to be a flimsy metallic shirt.

"Well, it certainly is flexible," said Pepper. "What about all the other stuff you said it would do? Did you test to make sure it is bulletproof?"

"Honey, its Vibranium. We know it is bullet proof. But, if you would like I can probably get Clint or Bobbi to come over and shoot at it."

"I thought you had a gun."

"I'm Iron Man. I don't need a gun. I am getting you one. I have someone building you a one of a kind. Something small, with very little recoil, and has enough stopping power to protect yourself and the kids."

While Tony called Bobbi, Harry put on the metal shirt. He was surprised at how comfortable it was. It didn't feel like metal.

"I added one more enchantment. When the metal meets flesh, the interior feels like silk. Smooth."

"Can I get a couple more of these in different colors. I will just walk around in this," said Harry.

"No. Now grab that t-shirt and put in on."

Harry put the shirt on. Everyone was excited to see that the metal shirt seemed to have vanished. Harry pulled the shirt off, causing the metal one to reappear.

"Well, all the cosmetics seem to work. I guess you will have to make new ones every time he hits a growth spurt," said Pepper.

"Nope. It will grow with him," said Sirius, proud of himself. "As he grows, all he will need to do is a simple growth spell. Now Harry, you will need to recharge the spells if any of the protective measures are used. I can help with that until you get older."

Bobbi arrived and was happy to see Harry was ok.

"So you want me to shoot at a shirt made of metal? Am I understanding that correctly?"

"Yea. Not with Harry in it, of course," said Tony, knowing how odd the request sounded. "Harry take it off and let's go down to the lab. We'll hang it up and let Bobbi unload on it."

Bobbi was amazed when Harry took off his regular shirt and the metal shirt appeared. She was even more amazed at how thin it was and how flimsy it was. Harry took it off and everyone walked down to the lab and watched as Bobbi unloaded her S.H.I.E.L.D. service pistol at the shirt. Everyone was amazed when there was no sign of the bullets or damage to the shirt.

"The bullets were small enough that the magical shielding destroyed them. We need to go bigger. Bigger gun. Bigger bullet. We also need a flame thrower," said Sirius, starting to sound like a mad scientist.

"It passed the basic test. That is good for now. We can do a more thorough test later this week when we are at Stark Tower. Put it to the test from some of our friends."

"I want one of those," said Bobbi.

"Sorry, magic people only," said Harry. "Speaking of that, I have another request."

"What's that," asked Tony.

"I want one for Hermione. She is a witch. She is also around me all the time. Nothing has happened yet, but that doesn't mean that it won't happen."

"I will talk to her parents. I don't think they will have a problem with it. You will have to make it become invisible when she wears her dresses to the charity events," said Pepper.

"I can do that," said Sirius.

The last three weeks before school were spent shopping for school supplies, getting Hermione's shirt made, and enjoying quality time with family. The two kids were excited to start their new adventure together.

**So I love that everyone is happy this story is back. I love it too. I forgot how much fun it was to write this series. Next chapter will be the first day of school, an area not covered the last time I wrote this. It may be a short chapter, or it could turn into a couple of chapters. I have no idea. Loving this. Keep the reviews coming. They are great motivation. Working on chapter 4 now.**


	4. Chapter 4

It was the first of September. Harry and Hermione arrived at the American Wizarding Academy shortly after lunch with their families and Sirius, who was like family. The two were greeted by a young woman who seemed overly excited to be at school.

"Welcome to the American Wizarding Academy. I am Professor Aimee Caesar. I will be your potions instructor as well as your chemistry instructor."

"Since when have magical schools taught regular classes," asked Sirius.

"When Dr. Jackson took over as Dean, he found that students who did not find employment in the wizarding world were not prepared to find jobs in the muggle world. Ten years ago, he changed the curriculum. Since then, graduates have had better success in either finding a job in the wizarding world or moving on to college in the muggle world."

"Makes sense," said Tony.

"Many of our graduates have gone on to work for large companies. Some even hold high positions at the largest magical company in the world. I assume you have heard of Mage Tech?"

Harry and Tony chuckled. Sirius was dumbfounded.

"Yeah. I've heard of it," said Sirius. "I also happen to work there."

"Really? What do you do there? One of the girls that graduated with me is head of the Research Department."

"Oh. Christina Fowler. I know her."

"Really. Do you work for her?"

"No. She works for me," said Sirius, a big grin forming on his face.

"That would make you…"

"Sirius Orion Black, President and CEO of Mage Tech."

Aimee began to blush from embarrassment. She rushed off, causing Sirius to get glares from the women. He went after the young professor, slightly feeling bad about what he did. After Sirius and Aimee returned, she escorted the families to the dorms where the kids would be staying. Sirius helped Harry move his trunk and other supplies into his dorm.

"Looks like you have first choice of beds," said Tony as he entered the room.

"Yeah. I think I'll take the one next to the window."

After getting everything settled in, and after long, teary goodbyes, Harry and Hermione watched their families drive off.

"Now what," asked Hermione.

"I have no idea. We still have three hours until we are supposed to go to the dining hall. We could go check out the garage."

Hermione was not interested in anything Harry did in the garage, but it was where they got most of the foundation's business taken care of. Harry was very much like Tony. He did his best thinking while working in the garage or the lab. The two found their way to the garage. As soon as they walked in, Harry began to check out all the cool new tools. Hermione was happy to see that Tony had thought of her while setting up the garage. On one side were all of Harry's tools and the two lifts for cars. On the other side was an office set up for Hermione. She had her computers and all of her files on the foundation.

As Harry looked around, he found a door that he had not seen on the original blue prints. It was locked by a thumbprint scanner. Taped to the keypad was a note.

"Do not let anyone in here except Hermione. Sirius and I have some solid ideas on how to make out little project work."

"What's in there," asked Hermione.

"Remember that secret project that Sirius, Dad, and I started after the incident?"

"Yeah."

"This is where I will be working on that. And you are authorized to know about it. The note verifies that. I am guessing our thumbprints are already programmed in."

Harry pressed his thumb against the scanner. After a couple of passes, the door unlocked. Harry and Hermione walked down the stairs and stared in awe at what they saw. It was a lab that was very similar to Tony's. There were tools that Harry had only used under his father's supervision. The item that made Harry giddy was an interactive 3D computer, just like his fathers. It would allow him to see the interior workings of the Iron Mage suit and run simulations to test theories. The two kids decided to start coming up with designs for the suit. Hermione had never been interested in anything Harry had done, but this project caused her to be very intrigued.

As it got close to the time of the assembly, Harry and Hermione went back to their dorms. When Harry walked in, he found his roommate listening to music and unpacking his trunk.

"Hello," said Harry, causing his roommate to jump.

"Oh. I didn't hear anyone come in. I'm your roommate, Jason Holmes."

Before Harry could talk, he noticed that Jason had realized who he was.

"You're Harry Stark."

"Yup."

"I didn't know you were a wizard," Jason said excitedly.

"It's not like we go out and announce it to the world," replied Harry.

"Right. This is just so cool."

Harry and Jason began talking, finding out they had a lot in common. It made Harry feel better knowing that Jason came from a rich family. That meant that he wouldn't try and be Harry's friend only for money. The two walked down to the dining hall where they were greeted by Hermione and her roommate, Talia Holmes.

"Jason, how is it you can forget to mention that you have a twin sister that goes to this school," asked Harry.

"I guess it slipped my mind."

"How does that just slip your mind," asked Talia.

"I know you," said Jason as he looked at Hermione. "I've seen you somewhere before."  
"I work with Harry as the Public Relations Officer of the Harry Stark Foundation."

"That's it! You were at some fundraiser our parents dragged us to. I have to be honest. It was pretty boring."

"Some of them are. We go because we are kind of expected to," said Harry. "There are great perks though. We have great working relationships with many sporting teams and the leagues. We were on the sideline during last year's Super Bowl. We caught a Stanley cup game as well. I am still wanting to get into one of the pits during the Daytona 500."

"I would die to have that experience," said Jason. "I'd love it even more to go inside one of the garages."

"You and me both," said Harry.

The four found an empty table in the back of the hall. They all sat down, talking about what they looked forward to most. As other students made their way into the hall, a short, scrawny kid approached them.

"So you mind if I join you?"  
"Sure," said Hermione. He sat next to her and Talia.

"I'm Steven. Steven Wilson."

"Hermione Granger. This is Jason and Talia Holmes, and this is Harry Stark."

"Are you really as smart as the papers say you are," Steven asked Harry.

"That depends on how smart they say I am. I am finished with high school level courses. I am working on my Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering."

"That is about what they said."

"So you are already done with high school," asked Talia. "Why on earth would you want to go to a school where they teach what you already know?"

"Because Harry and I have not had a regular school experience," explained Hermione. "I've had a private tutor ever since I moved here. That was three years ago. I was already advanced. Being able to learn at my own pace allowed me to finish high school a couple of weeks ago. Harry, have you ever been to a school before?"

"Not that I remember. Private tutors since I was five."

"Why not get a private magical tutor then," asked Jason.

"Because we wanted to go to school," said Harry. "To some people, we may seem crazy, but this is something we have never experienced. And it will be nice to learn at a slowed pace while I work on my degrees."

"That means the two of you will be able to help us with our work, right," said Talia.

"Three of us actually," interjected Steven. "I will be done with my high school education by winter break."

"What are you planning on studying after that," asked Hermione.

"I plan on being a doctor. I want to be educated in both non-magical and magical medicine. What are you studying?"

"Business. I have had plenty of practice and I have learned a lot from Harry's mom and dad."

"This is going to take some getting used to," said Talia.

"What do you mean?"

"I have always been the smartest person in school. I am even a little ahead of most others. With you three, I guess I will have to settle for fourth."

"Never settle. Always try and exceed expectations," said Harry. "If you think you are only fourth, aim for higher. Work harder, but not too hard. Too much studying and not enough leisure time can be bad for you."

"Says the guy already in college."

The five continued to talk as the last of the students made their way into the hall. The last one in found the empty spot at their table and quickly sat down.

"Ya'll don't mind if I sit here, do ya," said the young man.

"Might as well," said Jason.

"Thanks. Names Mason. Mason Young."

They all introduced themselves as they waited for Dr. Jackson to speak.

"Welcome everyone to another year at the American Wizarding Academy. To our first years, look around you. These people will be like your family. They will support you and guide you on your journey. Support them and guide them as well."

He quickly went over the basic rules and then with a wave of his wand, dinner appeared in front of everyone. The new friends enjoyed the incredible feast, laughing and telling stories of their lives. Harry loved that the others were interested in him, and not his family.

"How are you all doing so far," asked Dr. Jackson, checking on the first year students.

"So far so good," said Jason.

"Good. This looks like an interesting crew. A very intelligent crew."

**So that is the shortest chapter I think I will write. I think this was more for fans of the original stories. It is good for all readers, but the followers of the original will catch onto certain things and go "AH HA!"**


	5. Chapter 5

Harry was up early like always. Ever since he started at the American Wizarding Academy, Harry had found that working out before the other students woke up was nice. It was just him, his music, and the five mile run. When puberty hit Harry, it hit strong. At 15, Harry was 6 feet tall, and was very athletic. He weighed 225lbs and was the most sought after boy in the school. He was on the school's Quidditch team. He played multiple positions. He had played as a chaser, a beater, and as seeker. It all depended on the team they were playing. Most members of the team played various positions.

On top of his incredible looks and physique, his intelligence kept growing. He had finished getting his Master's Degrees in both engineering fields by the end of his fourth year. He was working on his first Doctorate. He had begun using his education to start building his Iron Mage armor. With help from his dad and Sirius, Harry had begun designing the suit. They had yet to find a solution for how to power the device. Nothing they designed would help maintain power for an extended period of time.

Harry finished his run and returned to the new dorms that he and many of the other upperclassmen stayed in. The dorms were larger and every student had their own rooms. They still had to share showers, but the students were used to that. After cleaning up and changing, he noticed that he still had an hour until the others would be down for breakfast. He went down to his garage, which was right next door to the new dorms. Harry was surprised to see Jason already awake and working on the truck they had been working on.

"What has you up so early," asked Harry as he walked to where Jason was working.

"Couldn't stay asleep. I'll catch a nap at some point today," said Jason as he climbed out from under the truck. He, like Harry had grown. He was the same height as Harry, had long blonde hair, and was just slightly less muscular than Harry. He was also on the Quidditch team. He, like Harry, played multiple positions.

"How long have you been down here?"

"I don't know. What time is it?"

"Six Thirty."

"About two hours then. Have you figured out what to get Hermione for her birthday?"

"Nope. Not a clue. You got any ideas?"

"Seriously? You know that I am horrible at gift giving. Talia tells me what we get people and I pitch in for half. She still hasn't told me what we got her this year. If only you two would start dating."

"Not this again," said Harry, clearly annoyed.

"Harry, the two of you have dated two people since you came here. That is between both of you. You dated Talia for a while, until the two of you decided that you were much better as friends. I tend to agree. Hermione dated one guy, and he ended up on the receiving end of one hell of an ass kicking when you found out he was cheating on her. You are more protective over her than I am of my own twin."

"Your twin could kick any guys ass in this school."

"And so could Hermione."

"I am done with this conversation. You should probably go shower before breakfast."

Jason loved giving Harry a hard time. He and Harry became like brothers. Until the past year, they shared a dorm. While Jason cleaned up, Harry waited for their other friends in the lobby. It was not long until they all began to gather. The first to arrive was Steven. He had shot up, becoming the tallest out them all. He was six feet four inches and still scrawny. During their third year, Steven revealed to his friends that he was gay. He was scared that they might not accept him. He was completely off. He ended up finding a boyfriend in Mason.

"Where is your man," asked Harry as Steven walked up to him.

"You know him. He is the biggest and scariest looking one of us, but he has to be the prettiest too."

"I still have no idea how he ended up being the most feminine one out of our whole group."

"He is who he is," said Steven, smiling. Jason came back down shortly followed by Talia. Talia had grown into what most men wanted in a woman. She was five feet five inches tall, was very petite but extremely athletic. She was a mixed martial artist and was also on the qudditch team. She had long blonde hair and was not overly chesty. She had curves in all the perfect places. Her dating life was complicated due to the fact that all the other guys in the school were scared of her friends. They knew that if they screwed up, there was going to be a lot of pain.

"Hermione will be down soon. I heard her yelling at her mirror this morning. I think something broke and she is having to deal with it," said Talia.

"She never used to be this into how she looked," said Harry. It was true. When Hermione first came to the states, she would usually wear sun dresses for nice occasions, fancy dresses for charity events, and jeans and t-shirts all other times. Now, it took her almost an hour to pick out the perfect outfit. She had naturally curly hair, which she became frustrated with. She began straitening in shortly after she began to look more womanly. She had blossomed more than Harry would have liked. She was very chesty, and had perfect curves. Guys had fought over her. She was only five feet two inches, but she scared many of the guys with her ass kicking abilities. They discovered she was not to be messed with when one guy had groped her and ended up with a broken hand and busted nose.

Finally, Mason and Hermione came down to join the others. Hermione had an irritated look in her face.

"Where is your phone," she barked at Harry.

"Oh shit. I think I left it in the garage. Are you ok?"  
"I'll be fine. Things just don't want to work when I need them too. Call Sirius. He has been calling me looking for you."

She tossed Harry her phone. While everyone began walking to the dining hall, Harry hung back and called Sirius.

"Did you find him," asked Sirius as soon as he answered the phone.

"Yeah. She found me. What's up?"

"What is your schedule like for the next couple of days?"

"I have Advanced Potions and Runes this morning. I have Advanced Charms and and Transfiguration tomorrow afternoon. Why?"

"Your dad and I will be there after lunch today. Clear your calendar. We have made a breakthrough."

"If I need to, I can get my assignments from my two classes tomorrow and just do them while in the lab then."

"That would be great. So we will be there around one."

"Awesome. Should I tell Hermione?"

"No. Let's make it a surprise. And speaking of Hermione, have you two started dating yet?"

"What the hell is everyone's obsession with me and Hermione dating? I will tell this to everyone from now on. If Hermione and I are meant to date, then let there be a sign making it crystal clear."

"Fair enough."

Harry hung up the phone and caught up with his friends.

"What was so important that he had to harass me," asked Hermione, still very irritated.

"He and dad are coming by this afternoon. They want to look at my notes on the project. Is there something else going on other than your hair straightener not doing exactly what you want it too? That has never made you so angry before. And you hair looks great, in my opinion."

"I just had a rough night last night. Bad dreams. Then Sirius called me at six, and you weren't in your room. Everything is just making things crappy. And it is the time all guys hate."

"Say no more. I will unlock the chocolate stash," said Harry, getting a small grin out of Hermione.

"It better have peanut butter too."

The two laughed as they entered the dining hall. The morning went by quickly for Harry. His two classes were just reviews for the finals that were the following week. After enjoying lunch and seeing that Hermione was in a better mood, he ran down to the lab. He was happy to see his dad and Sirius.

"So what have you two figured out," asked Harry.

"We solved the power issue," said Tony. "We can now make Iron Mage work."

"You had better not be teasing me."

Sirius held up two devices that looked very similar to Tony's Arc Reactor.

"So we are going with technology we had years ago?"

"Kind of," said Sirius. "We gave them some much needed overhauls. First of all, we determined that this cannot run on just the power from the arc reactor. I mean it can run, but it won't do half of what we want it too. It will not provide the magical energy needed to fire any of the weapons nor will it put up any magical shielding. We thought about making a pure magic reactor. It would power everything and it would provide the magical energy needed. The down side to it was that it would take an incredible amount of magic to power the entire suit. It would not last for very long."

"So what does that leave us?"

"We use both," said Tony. "We have the arc reactor power the suit. We use the same converter technology to protect it from environments like the school. Areas with high levels of magical energy. The magic reactor will be used to power the weapons and shields. It can also be recharged by taking in the excess energy the suit absorbs. That gives both reactors much longer lifespans."

"That is going to change some of the wiring I had already finished," said Harry, knowing how much work it was going to take.

"Yeah, but if we stay focused and work our asses off, we can have the Mark I up and running in a couple of days," said Tony. "We could be doing a test flight in a few days."

"Then let's get to work."

The three men began working on the final designs before fabrication. The one thing Harry had not thought of was paint scheme.

"I guess I always figured I would follow the family colors. Gold on the face plate, the upper legs and the upper arms. Red on the chest and back, the boots, and the gauntlets. And on the rest of the helmet."

"I would have thought you would have wanted to be original."

"That will come with later models. For now, I will represent the family."

By the end of the day, all the parts had been machined and painted. Since Harry had already built a mock setup of the armor, he had a good idea of how to wire the suit. It was just going to be a long process. Harry returned to his dorm worn out and excited. If everything went well, he would be able to test the suit after dinner.

He woke up at his usual time, but instead of working out, he ran down to the lab. It was there that he found Tony and Sirius still working. They both looked exhausted and like they needed sleep.

"You do know we could have finished this during the day," said Harry as he looked at the almost completed suit.

"The only reason you even went to sleep last night is because they do bed checks and you aren't allowed out of the dorm until four in the morning," said Sirius. Harry couldn't argue facts.

"So what all is needed to finish this?"

"Sleep," said Tony.

"Is that code for something?"

"Nope. I need sleep. We will test it tonight."

Sirius and Tony vanished as Sirius apparated them out of the lab and back to their houses. That left Harry admiring the Mark I Iron Mage armor. It was more incredible than he could have imagined. The parts were laid out across the workbench. He checked over all the wiring, making sure there was nothing loose. As breakfast time approached, Harry was joined by Hermione, who was wondering why he was not waiting for her or any of his friends in the lobby. She found him going over the designs for the armor, verifying that everything had been accounted for.

"Is that it," asked Hermione, looking at the workbench.

"Yup. As long as I don't find any problems, we should be testing it after dinner."

"Are you excited?"

"I'm not sure."

Hermione was confused. How could anyone not be excited about something as cool as that.

"I mean, I am, but this isn't something I have exactly trained for. There isn't a class on how to operate a flying suit of armor and weapons platform. Dad had me work with some test stabilizers to get an idea of how to control the flight. He even made a fairly realistic simulator. But that still doesn't make any less nervous."

"At least you aren't being over confident and cocky. That is usually where people end up getting hurt. Come on. Let's go get some breakfast. Take a day off from classes and just rest. Relax your mind."

The two walked out of the lab and ran to join the others for breakfast.

"Where were you," asked Mason.

"Checking some notes on a project my dad and I have been working on. He wanted me to look over them before he did anything else."

Harry had gotten real good about hiding certain aspects of his life. Everyone knew that Tony was Iron Man. He had finally admitted it after running out of good lies. No one at the school harassed Harry about it. It was joked about how cool it would be if Harry had his own suit. Harry just played along.

"Well, what do you say we go get some flight time in before the last match of the season," said Jason. "We all have the morning off."

Harry liked the idea. Everyone ran to the Quidditch pitch for a couple hours of drills and relaxation. Harry began to worry less about the trial run of the suit. While flying on his broom, he realized that he was a very comfortable flyer. His broom could fly at speeds most cars couldn't go. At least in the armor, he was protected if he fell. After the practice session, everyone went to lunch to refuel. While scarfing down the ribs that he piled on his plate, Harry's phone rang. It was his dad. After having Hermione answer the phone and hold it to his ear while he cleaned up, he grabbed the phone and walked away from the table.

"The test run is on hold," said Tony, feeling bad about stalling the first run.

"Why? Is there something wrong in the suit?"

"No. Not at all. That thing is ready to go. No. We are having an odd situation all along the east coast. Random attacks. No one has any idea who the people attacking are or why. Sirius is looking into a magic conflict spilling out onto our streets. If that is the case, please do me a favor and keep safe. Last thing I need is to have to worry about you."

"Dad, if there was some kind of wizard war going on, I am pretty sure I would have heard about it by now. It may just be a well-orchestrated attack by new super idiots. Give them hell. We can try again tomorrow."

"That sounds like a plan. I'll let you know if plans change."

Harry hung up the phone and walked back into the dining hall. After lunch, he pulled Hermione aside and told her what had happened.

"That sucks. I was looking forward to seeing that thing in action. Well hopefully tomorrow. I guess that means you are coming to class then."

The two quickly changed into proper classroom attire and rushed to their last two classes. The afternoon seemed to drag on. Harry couldn't help but think about testing the suit. Now that it wasn't happening, he was more excited. It made no sense to him. After dinner with everyone, he decided to take his bow and get some target practice in. It always relaxed him, especially when no one was around. Two hours passed by for Harry. He had barely noticed the sun setting. As he walked towards the dorms, he heard screams coming from the main part of the school. Harry quickly picked up the pace and began sprinting to the dorms. He saw Hermione and his friends surrounded by people in black cloaks. He began to fill with rage. He drew an arrow and notched it into his bow. He had his vest on. He was not going to let people hurt his friends. He froze when he came within hearing range and heard what they were looking for. He quietly rushed to the garage and called his dad.

"What's up Harry?"

"The school is under attack!"

"Don't do anything stupid. I'll lead a team and be there soon."

"Dad. They are witches and wizards and they are looking for me."

"Then they are just wanting money. We knew this day may come."

"Dad. They are looking for Harry Potter!"

Silence was all Harry heard.

"Suit up."

"What," asked Harry, making sure he heard his dad correctly.

"Suit up. I know that thing will work. No time like a bad time to give it a full test run. Just distract the attackers. Don't do anything stupid until I get there. Be safe and give them hell."

Harry dropped his phone and ran down to the lab. Nerves began to build up, but they were quickly squashed when he heard people screaming.  
"Time to nut up or shut up," thought Harry. "ASSEMBLE!"

As soon as the words left Harry's mouth, the armor formed to his body, connecting and powering up. The face plate came down and Harry was greeted by the System AI.

"Welcome Mr. Stark."

"Yeah. Hi. Time to test you out. Shit. How were we supposed to launch out of here?"

As soon as Harry asked, a hidden passage way revealed itself.

"Nice trick. Now let's go give them hell."

Meanwhile

"Where is Harry Potter," yelled an insane looking woman, pointing her wand at Professor Caesar.

"We don't have a Harry Potter," cried the potions instructor. The woman hit Aimee with the cruciatus curse, causing the young woman to scream out in pain. The Crew were surrounded and their wands taken from them. Hermione was worried that they may have already gotten to Harry and not known it was him. Or he was hiding and waiting to take his shot, but that did not sound like Harry. He would not have waited so long.

"Since she won't talk, why don't we ask one of the kids. Surely one of them knows Potter. Maybe the blonde girl."

They pulled Talia out, causing Jason to force his way away fromhis captor and rushing to her side. A spell was sent flying at him, but was deflected. Everyone looked at what had stopped the spell. Hermione just smiled.

"Put your wands down, step away from the kids, and do not make me tell you again," yelled Harry. Most people thought it was Tony.

"And just how do you think you will stop us? Take him down!"

Spells flew at Harry, causing him to come crashing down.

"System overload," said the AI. "Transferring power to shields."

"Gee. Thanks," thought Harry. As soon as the shields were up, he began blasting any attacker the computer targeted. Many took off.

"Get inside the building," ordered Harry. "Don't come out until I tell you too! GO!"

The teens grabbed Aimee and rushed back into the dorms. Harry began to pursue rogue witches and wizards that were terrorizing other students. Many of the students cheered as Harry took out their attackers. As far as they knew, Iron Man was coming to their rescue.

"A large number of attackers are circling the school," said the AI.

"Then let's keep them occupied. Prepare the cannon. Shoot all targets. Let me just focus on flying and not crashing."

"Of course sir."

Harry took off into the sky, realizing that there were hundreds of dark witches and wizards circling. They began to chase Harry, allowing him to take the fight away from the school. The cannon came out from his back piece and began firing stunning spells at all attackers. Eventually, Harry was joined by Tony and their friend James Rhodes, who was kicking ass in the War Machine suit.

"Nice suit Harry. Not a very original paint job," said Rhodey while firing at the shrinking number of targets.

"Yeah. It is kind of sucks hearing everyone cheer for dad when it's really me."

"Good. They have no idea it's you. Isn't that the idea?"

"Yeah. Hey, you two keep them distracted for a moment. I have something I want to test out."

"I don't think now would be a good time to test things," said Rhodey.

"This whole night has been a test," said Harry. "This is the first time I have put this thing on."

"Oh. Well test away."

Tony and Rhodey began unleashing a barrage of firepower at the oncoming horde, giving Harry time to target all of them.

"Cease fire and clear the firing line," ordered Harry. The two other armored heroes stopped firing and flew off, leaving Harry a clear shot of close to fifty attackers

"Let me know what Antartica is like," said Harry. A second launcher popped up from his back and fired charged arrows at the horde. As soon as the arrows hit, the attackers vanished. The few who did not get picked up by the tracker vanished by themselves. Sirius soon arrived with a team of wizards who worked in a special division of the FBI. While they began assisting the other students, Harry and Tony went to Harry's dorms and walked in. Harry was happy to see all of his friend were ok.

"Professor Caesar needs medical attention," said Steven.

"I'll take her," said Tony.

"There are two of you," said Mason in amazement.

Tony looked over at Harry and nodded.

Harry could trust the people in the room. After Tony took off with Aimee, Harry just stood still, messing with his friends.

"Maybe it's a remotely operated suit," said Jason.

"Could be an android," suggested Talia.

"Or it could be a devilishly handsome son of a billionaire," said Harry as he took off the helmet.

No one said a word. They all just looked at Harry in amazement. Hermione rushed over to him, leapt into his arms, kissing him with all the passion she could. The kiss took Harry by surprise. He never knew she felt so strongly about him, or that she even thought about him in that way. He decided to stop analyzing it and just enjoy it. The two broke up the kiss when they heard forced coughs coming from their friends.

"So," said Jason, still in shock that his best friend was in an Iron Man suit. "Does this mean you are the new Iron Man?"

Harry smiled. "Nope. This is the Mark I Iron Mage."

"And how long have you been the Iron Mage," asked Steven.

"Not very long. Maybe an hour. This was the first time I ever used the suit. It was just completed this morning."

"Can I have one," asked Talia.

"No. It's kind of a family thing, except for Rhodey, but he is like family."

"Next thing you will tell us is that you are the Harry Potter they were looking for," said Mason laughing. Harry didn't know what to say. He froze, giving away the secret that he had hid ever since he arrived at AWA.

"I think we need to have long talk," said Harry. "While I go talk to my dad, you guys call your parents. Let them know you are alright. Please do not tell them about me."

"Which part," asked Steven.

"Any of it."

Harry placed his helmet back on and joined his dad and a man that looked very unhappy.

"So, he finally gave in and let you have your own toy," said Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. "You're not even old enough to drive a damn car!"

"Do you think you can keep your voice down," said Tony. "People don't know its him. I have been telling everyone that it is an android."

"Better than that bullshit body guard story you used. You know I can't allow this."

"And if I didn't have this, a lot of people would have been hurt. A lot more than already were. This was not an attack because I happen to have a suit. This was something worse. The people were hunting for a dead person."

"What do you mean a dead person?"  
"A while back, Harry Potter was declared dead," said Harry.

"Aren't you Harry Potter?"

"Do you see the dilemma. We had my records sealed. If I was declared dead, how did these maniacs know how to find me? Why were they looking for a dead kid?"

"That is a lot of questions. I take it there is not much I can do to help with this."

"So far it looks to be just a magic issue," said Tony. "If it escalates, I will let you know."

"Good. No about that suit."

"Try and take it away from me," said Harry. "It saved people's lives today. That is what it was for. Situations like this. I have no intentions of signing up for the Avengers any time soon."

"Keep it that way," said Fury as he walked off. Dr. Jackson walked over to the two Iron Men.

"Mr. Stark. Is there someone in the other suit?"

"Um. Yeah. A few of Harry's friends are in their dorms. If their parents haven't pulled them out of the school, can we arrange a meeting somewhere. Maybe your office."

"Absolutely. Most parents are just worried about what happened. I've only had a couple of students leave. Where is Harry. When they started asking about Potter, I got very worried."

Tony just made a gesture with his head, pointing to the other armor.

"Oh. I see. Thank you for saving our school Mr. Stark. And Mr. Stark."

"I guess it is time we tell them everything," said Harry.

"Just those closest to you."

"And Professor Caesar. She deserves more than anyone to know."

"Why?"

"Because she didn't give me up. She knows that I was born Harry Potter. She caught the scar one day. The people tonight tortured her, and she said nothing. She has earned my trust and a lot of respect."

"Ok. Let's go reveal to your friends that you are not only the Iron Mage, but that you are also the Harry Potter of legend. While we are heading over there, call your mother. I am pretty sure she is having a panic attack."

He was now a super hero, and he still had to call and check in with his mom.


	6. Chapter 6

The impromptu meeting that was to have taken place in Dr. Jackson's office was rescheduled for the morning when parents suddenly came to the school to take their kids home. Dr. Jackson was trying to prevent the mass exodus of students. Harry returned the armor to his lab and then joined his friends in the dorms. They decided to gather in Jason's room to talk about what happened.

"So how long have you had that armor," asked Mason.

"It was finished this morning. Tonight was the very first time I had ever put it on. One hell of a test."

"What all can it do," asked Jason.

"A lot. One of these days, I will show you guys all of it's capabilities, but I am too damn tired and my head is just trying to wrap itself around what happened here tonight."

"Are you really Harry Potter," asked Steven.

Harry just looked at all his friends. He had hid so much of his life from them. That had to end.

"Yeah. I was born Harry James Potter. I was one when my birth parents were murdered. I was five when I came to live with my dad. I was six when he adopted me. I have been Harry Stark for close to ten years now. And from what I understood, Harry Potter was pronounced dead three years ago."

"Then why were those people looking for you," asked Hermione. "And how did they know you were here?"

"Those are questions I would love to have answers to. Dad and Sirius are looking into things. I just hope they get answers. This has me very paranoid."

"At least you have that suit to keep you safe," said Talia.

"But what about you guys? You guys are my best friends. They had you captured and where about to torture you to get to me."

"But you stopped them," Hermione reminded him.

"Not until after Professor Caesar was tortured."

"You could not have known they would do that," said Steven. "Shit, we didn't even know who they were. Actually, we still don't know who they were."

The six teens talked until Dr. Jackson came to the room.

"Just to let you all know, half of the students are gone," said Jackson, looking very disappointed.

"They aren't blaming you are they," asked Harry.

"No. This was not the only school attacked. Three other schools in the United States were attacked. All of them in search of Harry Potter. Parents just don't think the safest place for the kids is a school."

"None of our parents are pulling us, are they," asked Mason.

"No. I have talked to all of your parents. I talked to them about something that I will talk to you about in the morning. I have some very important early morning meetings. I should be back by ten. Unless you are told otherwise, be in my office at ten."

After the quick visit by Dr. Jackson, the six friends went off to get ready for bed. Harry went to the shower to clean up and take inventory of the wounds he sustained during the fight. He noticed heavy bruising on his knees and shoulders. He rubbed ointment on them and made a mental note to cushion those areas better. All during his shower, he went over what he could do to make the suit work better. The fact that the shields we overloaded when he came under attack worried him. That was the first thing he needed to work on in the morning. He dried off, changed into his sleep wear, and walked back to his room. He walked into his room and was surprised to see Hermione sitting on his bed, dressed for bed.

"I don't want to be alone," she said, her fear showing on her face.

He walked over to her, wrapped her in his arms and kissed her, taking both their minds off what had happened earlier. As they broke the kiss, he saw the smile on her face. All fear had been removed.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you," said Harry softly into her ear. That caused sensations to run all over Hermione that she had never felt before.

He walked to his dresser and pulled out a vial.

"What's that?"

"Something to help with sleep. I use it when I have too much on my mind. I figured we could both use some. Two drops and ten minutes later, you are out. Eight hours of sleep."

"That sounds good to me. But shouldn't we talk first?"

"About what?"

"Us."

"Nothing to talk about really," said Harry, causing confusion in Hermione.

"I think there is."

"Actually, there really isn't. With everything that happened, we both realized something that everyone else on the planet has apparently known for a long time. When I heard the screaming, I thought it was you. My heart stopped for a moment. Then came rage. I could not bear to think about not having you in my life, and for all I knew, you were being attacked. Then after everything was said and done, as soon as my helmet came off, you ran over to me, leapt into my arms, and kissed me. That was all I needed."

Hermione was speechless. She stood up and walked over to where he was standing. She took the vial out of his hand and led him to the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't want to take something that will prevent me from enjoying every moment in your arms. I don't care if I don't sleep at all. It won't matter. It will be the best lack of sleep I ever get."

She pulled back the sheets and laid on the bed. Harry was doing everything he could not to take notice of how sexy she looked in her shorts and tank top. He slowly crawled in the bed and pulled the sheets over them. He then wrapped his arm over her waist, finding her hand waiting for his. She let out a soft sigh.

"I could get used to this," said Hermione as she closed her eyes.

Harry just kissed her on the back of the neck and quickly went to sleep. Hermione went to sleep soon after, flustered at how easily he could trigger what she could only describe as a rush of ecstasy. They were too young and had just started dating. She did all she could to keep all the thoughts of what she wanted to do with him suppressed. That's what dreams were for.

The next morning, Hermione woke up alone in Harry's bed. She looked at his alarm clock. It was already eight in the morning. She climbed out of the bed and walked back to her room, hoping that none of their friends would catch her poor attempt at sneaking.

"Sleep well," asked Talia, catching Hermione opening the door to her bedroom.

"Just woke up actually."

"Harry asked me to go wake you up if you weren't already awake. He woke up at his regular time and did not want to wake you."

"Where is he right now?"

"He said something about making adjustments. I would guess he was talking about his armor."

Hermione quickly changed clothes, freshened up, and ran down to the lab where she found Harry going over the designs of the Iron Mage.

"Good morning," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Good morning. Did you sleep alright?"

"Best sleep in a very long time. Great dreams. What about you?"

"Woke up once. Thought I heard something. It was just the security team."

"What security team?"

"Dr. Strange and Wong were brought in to keep watch overnight. They had some of Dr. Strange's best students here as well."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah. I just need to locate where the problem is with the shielding. I don't understand why it got overloaded so quickly."

"Why don't you come back to it after we eat. The problem is not going anywhere."

Harry spun around and starred into her eyes.

"You're right. I just don't like having flaws in something I built."

"Maybe it wasn't a flaw. Harry, you were hit by at least fifteen very powerful spells, and not like one after another. They all hit you at the same time. You couldn't even possibly have thought about that situation. Maybe you just need to have the shields at a higher power level before you engage any enemies. Can't you do that once you put it on?"

Harry looked back at the designs, and then back at Hermione.

"You are a genius."

"Thanks. I am guessing I was right."

"Mostly. You were right that I can change settings as soon as I put the suit on, but sometimes there may not be enough time. However, we also did not do any calibrations on the suit because it was not combat ready. It worked just fine, but it had only been calibrated for a test flight and small weapons test. It will just take me a couple of hours to run the calibrations."

"After breakfast," said Hermione, dragging him out of his chair.

"After breakfast."

He kissed her softly and led her out of the lab. The two made their way to the dining hall. They were shocked to see only their friends and a few other students.

"Is this all that is left," Hermione asked as she sat down.

"Yeah. We will be the only ones left by the afternoon," said Mason. "The others are leaving before lunch. Apparently the attacks at other schools were a lot more destructive. One teacher died. We were lucky. We had Harry."

"Yeah. Yay me," Harry said sarcastically. He could not help but feel horrible that someone died because psychos were looking for him.

The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence. As soon as Harry was done, he left the group and returned to the lab. It was not long until he was joined by Tony, who had just arrived.

"How did it do last night?"

"I need more flight time practice. Weapons worked just fine. Shielding was not calibrated properly. I'm fixing that right now. Are you here to take me home?"

"Sort of. You still have a meeting with Dr. Jackson this morning. Things will be explained better then. How are you holding up?'

"Did you hear about what happened at the other schools?"

Tony sighed and pulled up a chair next to his son.

"Yeah. I heard."

"Did it happen before or after the attack here?"

"From what I heard, it happened at the same time. They were coordinated attacks. There wasn't anything anyone could have done. No one could have seen this coming."

"What happens if they figure out who I am?"

"If they didn't know last night, then they won't figure it out. Come on. Let's go get this meeting over with. We can work on the suit later."

Harry followed Tony and joined his friends in Dr. Jackson's office. Also in the room were Professor Caesar, Sirius, and Dr. Strange.

"Well, now that we are all present, we can get this over with quickly," said Dr. Jackson. "First of all, I am glad to see everyone is safe. I think we owe that to Mr. Stark and his father. I can't thank you two enough for protecting my students. As you all could tell, you are soon to be the only students left in the school. Due to the attacks, the government has ordered all schools be closed until next semester. I actually agree. We are giving a pass on the finals. Last night is going to have many students and even some faculty in therapy for a while."

"Who were those people," asked Harry.

"People that I loathe," said Sirius. "They are the Death Eaters. The followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort."

"The man who killed my parents? I thought he was dead."

"People assumed as much. After he failed to kill you, all they could find of him was his cloak. They figured he would not have left the house naked. It appears they were wrong."

"There has been no evidence to prove that he is still alive either," said Dr. Strange.

"It is the only logical explanation. Why would they go hunting for Harry now, three years after he was declared dead. Why not when he was still living in England? Only one person would have that kind of influence over them. He may not have shown his face yet, but he is lurking in the background, orchestrating the attacks. It is how he did it last time."

"One way or another, they have no idea that Harry Stark is Harry Potter. His face is all over the place. If they didn't know last night, they will never figure it out," said Jackson. "That is not the reason for this meeting. This meeting is actually about something fun and exciting."

The students looked at Jackson like he had lost his mind. After an attack on his school, he wanted to talk about something fun?

"Before all of this nightmare took place, our school was selected to represent the United States in a wizarding equivalent of the Olympics. Various magical and non-magical events. I had decided to take you six a few months ago. You are the smartest and most athletic students in the entire school. You are also a close knit group. A perfect team. After last night, I had a talk with all of your parents. I had feared that they would not want you travelling after what happened. They proved me wrong. The only concern was security. That issue was solved. After taking some of our concerns to the headmistress of the host school, we have been granted permission to bring our own security team."

"Who is making up this security team," asked Jason.

"Harry and Hermione know them as Clint and Bobbi. You guys might know them as Hawkeye and Mockingbird," said Tony.

"We are taking Avengers as a security team," said Steven in amazement.

"Avengers. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. They really aren't picky. That is why Dr. Jackson needed permission. They are not a witch nor wizard. Apparently, some people over in England would have an issue with that."

"Which school is hosting," asked Talia.

"My old stomping grounds," said Sirius. "Hogwarts. And I will be going as one of the chaperones as well as Professor Caesar."

"I will also be escorting you all," said Dr. Jackson. "Since the event is all year long, I will not be able to continue acting as Dean of Students here at AWA. I have put in my resignation so that I may accept a new position."

"What position is that," asked Jason.

"I am going to be the Headmaster at a very private school. Only a few select students will be allowed admission."

"What school is that?"

"We are still working on the name and location, but we will have it decided by the end of the summer. Isn't that right Tony?"

"Yeah. The board will meet sometime. We do have all summer."

Harry and the others looked dumbfounded.

"Dad, why are you starting a new school when I only have two more years left?"

"Because after last night, I have a feeling that it may be the only school left open when you get back. Dr. Jackson told me how many parents were talking about homeschooling their kids. I can't blame them. I just have a way to provide an alternative for you and your friends."

"It will be that schools name that we represent when we compete. Now, since the competition starts in September, you need to train hard. Tony has graciously given us three floors of Stark Tower to train in. We will all be living and training there. Now, this will not be like school. There will be plenty of down time. That was one thing I had to assure your parents about. They will be allowed to come visit whenever they want. You will be free to enjoy time just being teenagers. Now comes the big question. Are you all wanting to do this?"

"Can you give us a minute to talk amongst ourselves," asked Jason.

The six teens stepped out of the office.

"Are any of us really going to say no to this," asked Harry.

"Of course not," said Mason. "Does anyone have any concerns to bring up to Dr. Jackson?"

After a quick discussion over nothing having to do with the reason they went out to talk, they all returned into the office.

"After talking, we have all agreed that we would be honored to represent the United States," announced Hermione.

"Good. Now, since the school is being closed, you all need to go and pack up all of your belongings. Your parents will be here sometime this afternoon to pick you all up."

"When are we going to Stark Tower," asked Steven.

"Well, next Friday is Hermione's sixteenth birthday. I thought we could have you all come that day. We could have one hell of a birthday party," said Tony. "That will give you guys some time with your families. It will also give me time to make sure everything is ready for you guys."

After the meeting, Tony pulled Harry aside.

"Happy is on his way here with Stewart. He wanted to come pick up Hermione. They are going to take all of your stuff home. Sirius is going to transport all of the stuff from your lab and in the garage to Stark Tower. I think you will like what I have set up there. You and I are going to be taking a detour home. We need to swing by the Helicarrier. Fury wants to talk to you. I have been assured that is has nothing to do with the suit."

"To get to the Helicarrier would require me to use the suit. Am I getting the extra flight time I need."

"Hurry and pack all your things. The quicker that is done, the quicker we can get going."

Harry ran up to his room and stuffed all of his belongings into his trunks. He ran down to the garage and lab and packed all of his tools and made sure all cabinets were locked for travel. He then said goodbye to his friends and waited with Hermione and Tony until her father and Happy arrived.

"I guess I will see you when I get home," said Hermione.

"Unless Fury wants to yell at me for a few hours. Then you might beat me home."

The two kissed and Harry watched as his girlfriend drove off.

"Your mother is going to be so happy," said Tony. "When did this finally happen?'

"Last night when I was revealing to everyone that I was the man in the suit. I took off the helmet and it was like I was in a movie. She jumped into my arms and we kissed."

"Well I am happy for the two of you. It took you two long enough."

"So I have been told. Are we ready to go?"

"Suit up."

"Assemble!"

Tony watched as the armor attached itself to his son. It was a proud day for Tony.

"Welcome," said the System AI.

"Hi. Run systems check."

"Running systems check."

Harry lifted the face plate and saw his dad in a new suit.

"What number is that?"

"29. This one is just because I got bored. It just has the basic weapons and flight capabilities. Just a new flashy toy."

"System check complete. All systems are functional at 100 percent," the AI told Harry.

"Hey dad. When we get home, is there any way we can make the AI respond to a name?"

"Why not J.A.R.V.I.S."

"I was thinking about B.O.B."

"And what does B.O.B. stand for?"

"Badass Operational Battlesuit."

"Nice. I think we can work on that. Well, let's not keep Fury waiting."

The two Starks lowered their face plates and took off into the sky.

"Since we do not want civilians to know that you have a suit, why don't you test out that cloaking ability until we get to the Helicarrier."

"System, engage cloaking charm."

"Cloaking engaged. System in stealth mode."

"Alright, you have gone invisible. Climb to 8,000 feet and then open up the thrusters. Time to find out the top speed of that bad boy."

Harry did as instructed. He found that flying was very calming for him.

"How do you not fall asleep when doing your long distance flights," Harry asked Tony.

"Once you get used to the force on your body and are able to engage autopilot, I will teach you how to upload movies into the system. I caught up on shows that I had missed. I can access our DVR from the suit."

"This thing has autopilot?"

"Not yet. I want you to get used to having to control it first. Anyways, too late for that. The Helicarrier is ten miles out. Disengage cloaking and follow me for landing."

As Harry saw the Helicarrier come into view, he did as ordered. He followed Tony to a small landing pad. The Avengers symbol was in the center of it."

"We get our own landing pad. We are awesome," said Tony as he landed. "Bring it on down."

Harry landed, stumbling only a little.

"It takes some getting used to," said Tony. The two walked into the Helicarrier and directly into a conference room where Fury was waiting for them.

"Take off the damn helmet kid," growled Fury.

"Lighten up Nick," said Tony. "So what is this little meeting all about?"

"Something that does not leave this room. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," said Harry.

"Sure. Why not," said Tony.

"My family history is a big secret to everyone. No one knows what I am about to reveal to you."

"Nick, I have never seen you so panic stricken before. Just say it."

"Everyone knows me as the son of Jack Fury. Reality is he was just my mother's husband. He raised me. He will always be the man I call dad, but he is not my biological father. One day when my father was deployed, my mother was attacked and raped. I am the result of that. The asshole who's DNA I possess was a wizard. A real piece of shit. His name was Alexander Rouch. He recently died in a prison after he was arrested trying to torture a family for information. That was 16 years ago. He was following the orders of his master, Voldemort."

Harry and Tony were both stunned. This was not anything they had expected.

"I did not take on any of his magical talents, which I am happy about. It does allow me access to top secret files relating to magical cases. I know about the other attacks. I also know that there have been attacks at schools all over the world. They truly have no idea where you are. Since I will hear about things before you, I will keep you informed. I also don't think that this group is just out looking for you. I think there is something bigger going on. Criminal activity amongst the super powered criminals is down. And when I say down, I mean non-existent. There were reports coming out of Italy of undercover agents spotting Shocker walking the streets. That man has never been out of this country. There is no reason for him to be there. Even HYDRA and A.I.M. are running quiet. There is something coming. I can feel it."

"Don't worry Director," said Harry. "We won't reveal your secret. And thanks for keeping us in the loop. Now, what should I tell people when they ask what this meeting was about?"

"Just tell them I chewed your ass out for having a suit. I yelled at both of you. Make some shit up. Hell, you guys came to perform some updates on the Helicarrier system. Actually, when you get a chance, I need that done."

"I'll schedule it in for some time next week," said Tony.

Tony and Harry left the Helicarrier and returned to the Stark house, where Pepper and Maria where waiting to see Harry land in his new armor. As he landed, he could see the pride in Pepper's eyes.

"Harry!," yelled Maria running to her older brother.

"Hey squirt. Did you miss me?"

"Not really," she said with a grin.

"Well I missed you. So what do you think of my new suit?"

"It looks like daddy's."

"I think I need a new paint job," Harry said to Tony.

"Maybe. We can worry about that later. Right now, go put the suit in the lab and then join us in the kitchen. I am sure your mother will want to hear about recent changes in your life."

"Changes? What changes?"

Harry just shook his head as he walked into the house.

**Ok, so this chapter has been written at least ten different times. I don't know why it gave me such grief. I know the ending was abrupt, but I had no clean way to end it. Next chapter will be up as soon as I stop arguing with myself about what should happen. Thanks to those who give me consistent reviews. Very helpful. Keep at it.**


	7. Chapter 7

Harry was happy to be home. He loved being at school around his friends all the time, but he missed seeing his mom every morning. He missed Maria, even if she could be annoying. He missed Jarvis' cooking. The school food was incredible, but nothing beat a home cooked meal done by Jarvis. He and Hermione also found time to spend alone together. The couple went for walks around the neighborhood, stayed up late watching movies together, and just did what many teenage couples did.

Two days before Hermione's birthday, Harry came up from the lab with a concerned look on his face. Pepper noticed it.

"What did you do to make you look so worried?"

"It's what I forgot to do. Hermione's birthday is in two days. With everything that happened…"

"You forgot to get her a gift. Not a problem. I have been looking for a good excuse to spend some quality time with you."

"You need to find a reason?"

"Not really, but you are a teenager. Isn't being seen out with your mom uncool?"

"Since when have I cared about being uncool. If you can help me get out of this bind, then by all means, let me take a quick shower and we can get going."

After Harry's quick shower and dropping Maria off at the Granger house, Harry and Pepper took off for the city.

"So do you have any ideas of what you want to get her?"

"I had ideas, and then we became a couple. Doesn't that require me to step up the awesomeness of the gifts. Not necessarily in price, but in wow factor."

"You and your dad. Always overthinking things. It must be a genius thing. I think you have to take the escalation of your relationship into consideration, but I know Hermione. She doesn't care what you get her. As long as it is from you, and as long as it is something that interests her."

"Isn't jewelry the best last minute gift?"

"What kind of jewelry are you thinking about?"

"I don't know. That's where you come in. Where is a good place to start?"

Pepper drove to a small shop. The two got out of the car and walked into the shop, where a young blonde greeted them.

"Welcome back Mrs. Stark. What can we do for you today?"

"My son needs a gift to give his girlfriend for her birthday."

"How old will she be?"

"Sixteen," said Harry, looking around the shop.

"And how long have you two been dating?"

"Just under a week."

"And you want to get her jewelry?"

"It is a complicated situation," explained Pepper. "They have been friends for eight years. Many people have just been waiting for the day that they saw what we all saw."

"What she said."

The young woman was surprised at the story.

"Do you have anything in mind? Are there any pieces you would not be interested in?"

"No rings. That might freak people out. It might freak me out. I guess a necklace would be good. Simple, but nice."

The young woman walked into the back and came out with a few boxes.

"I have a few options for you. The first is a platinum chain with and emerald pendant, since emerald is the birthstone of May. And since this is a girl that you have been close to for a while, I thought the matching earrings would be a nice addition."

"They look great. The only thing is she is more of a white gold fan. Do you have something like this in white gold?"

"I think so. I'll be right back."

The young woman returned shortly with exactly what Harry wanted.

"I'll take it. And I will also take that Titanium Jager watch."

"Who's that for," asked Pepper.

"Me. It will look good on me. I haven't bought anything expensive for myself in a long time. I am due for my annual splurge."

"You know we don't mind if you splurge more often. It is one of the perks of being a Stark."

"I know. You also have to remember that I am not home for most of the year. I didn't really need a lot at school."

"True."

"Would you like the watch in a box," asked the blonde.

"No. I'll wear it out of here. Just place the box in the bag."

"No problem. Do you want us to add this to your account Mrs. Stark?"

"You have an account in a jewelry store?"

"For every time your dad screws up."

"You must be in here every month."

"He has gotten better. We are down to every other month. Yes, add these to the account."

After thanking the woman, Harry and Pepper left the store. As they climbed in the car, Pepper received a text from Tony asking her and Harry to join him for lunch. The two hurried off and met Tony at a small diner that Tony had fallen in love with.

"I don't understand how you can eat this stuff so often," Pepper said as she walked over to the table her husband was sitting at.

"It's Schawarma. Five different meats. Five different sauces. A smorgasbordof vegetables. I don't think I have had the same thing yet."

"Well, I found something I like so I am going to stick with it," said Harry. "I'll have two with lamb, all veggies, and hummus for the sauce."

"I'll just have a salad," said Pepper.

After ordering, Tony revealed his reason for the impromptu lunch.

"So, there have been some changes with Friday that directly involve you," Tony told Harry.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing. It is what you are going to do. Melissa overheard Hermione talking to your friend Talia about how she was happy that everyone was coming over on Friday, but that she really wanted a nice date with you."

"So I am guessing that is the new plan."

"Yup. You need to go get a new suit. I see you got a new accessory," said Tony looking at the watch.

"Why do I need a new suit? I have plenty."

"The last time you bought a new suit was at Christmas time. You've bulked up since then. And it never hurts to have a new suit. I got a new one yesterday. No real reason. I just felt like getting a new suit. Now I have the feeling to get a new watch."

"Is that the only change? What about the other kids," asked Pepper. "When are they going to arrive at the tower?"

"Still on Friday. We are going to let them get settled in while Harry and Hermione are out on their date. They can surprise Hermione when they get back. Now, Harry, tomorrow I am going to need you to bring your suit to Stark Tower. There is a lot of heavy lifting that needs to get done before Friday. On Friday, Hermione is going to take her driving test. She is then going to go have lunch with her family. While that is going on, we are going to be finishing up at Stark Tower. After lunch, she is going with her mother to buy a new dress, and go through the usual female pampering and beautification rituals. Happy will pick you up at the house at five. She should be ready shortly after that. Stewart has made reservations for the two of you at her favorite restaurant. After dinner, go back to the tower and let her be surprised by your friends."

"Can you write all that down," said Harry with a smile. "Glad to know I don't need to plan dates. I have my father and my girlfriends father to do it for me."

"This is a onetime assist. You are on your own after that."

"Thanks. While I have you not distracted, did you get the new paint scheme idea I sent you?"

"Interesting choice. Way off of any of my suits. I think it will look good. And I took the liberty to update the AI to respond to BOB."

"BOB," asked Pepper.

"Badass Operational Battlesuit," said Harry.

"Just like your father."

After lunch, Harry and Pepper finished their shopping, getting Harry three new suits. Pepper ended up with two new outfits as well. They returned home and put everything away.

"Harry, can you please go get your sister? And your father just texted me asking me to tell you to be ready to do a test of the suit. Something about Fury wanting to see what it can do."

"No problem mom."

Harry walked down the street and up to the Granger's house. He found Hermione sitting on her porch reading.

"Hey beautiful," said Harry as he walked up the pathway, causing Hermione to jump out of her chair.

"Hey yourself," she said. "How is it you got to go out and have a relaxing day, and I got stuck here watching our sisters. I love them, but they can really test your patience."

"Because my mom wanted a mother son day. I could not tell her no."

"Well at least I will be able to spend time with you tonight."

"Actually, I have a test of the suit with Nick Fury tonight. He set it up, and I cannot change the time. And before you say anything, Dad booked me to do some work at Stark Tower. He needs me to help with some heavy lifting. I don't know how long I will be there. Hopefully I will be home by dinner."

"I guess I can't really complain. I guess I have just gotten spoiled having you around and not doing much for four days straight."

"Well, think about this. Starting Friday, we will be staying at Stark Tower. We have training and other things, but we will also have plenty of time for just us."

"You're right. Like always."

"Not always. Just most of the time."

After hunting down his little sister and kissing Hermione goodbye, Harry walked his sister home, listening to her make kissing noises the entire walk. As soon as they were home, Harry ran down to the lab to begin painting the Iron Mage suit.

"Paint will be complete in three hours," the computer announced.

Harry took that time to enjoy dinner and do a little work on his latest car. He had already built a Rolls Royce, a Jaguar, two Aston Martins, and two completely custom street racers. After his third year, many of the older students began asking Harry to do work on their cars. He and Jason had started doing basic tune ups, oil changes, and basic mechanical work. At the beginning of his fifth year, Harry had a nice side business at the school. It didn't make a lot, but it did give him and Jason nice monthly spending money. Both came from well off families, but it felt better to them when they made their own money. He was happy to be home because he could focus on his newest car. It was actually a truck. It was something he had not done before and he thought it would be fun.

After a couple of hours, Harry cleaned up and went down to the lab to check out his suits new paint job. He put in a Bluetooth earpiece and smiled as the suit came out.

"BOB, is the suit ready for testing," Harry asked, talking to his suits AI through the earpiece.

"Yes sir. Both reactors are fully charged and the paint is complete."

"Then let's get this party started. ASSEMBLE!"

As soon as the suit was assembled, Harry looked in the mirror and loved how the new paint looked. Where all the red paint had been was now a Onyx black. The gold was replaced by silver.

"Not bad at all," thought Harry. "BOB, what is the weather supposed to be like tonight?"

"Partly cloudy. Twenty percent chance of showers in the New York City area."

"Where is the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier located?"

"Six miles off the coast of Rhode Island Sir."

"Well, Let's not keep Director Fury waiting."

Harry took off out of the lab and into the night sky.

"BOB, call dad."

"Why are you out in the suit," Tony asked as soon as he answered the phone.

"The test. Nick Fury. You texted mom earlier."

"That's right. I knew I was forgetting something. I'll call Fury and find out where he wants to run this test. I'll send the information to you."

Harry just flew around until he got the information from his dad. He flew to the location where he was met by not only Nick Fury, but many of the Avengers. Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Captain America, Wasp, Thor, Ant Man, and Spiderman where all present.

"Is this some kind of initiation," asked Harry as he landed. "I made it clear I have no intention of joining the Avengers anytime soon."

"Nope. They just want to see what you've got," said Tony. "The paint job looks damn good."

"Alright. Enough chat. Let me see what that suit is capable of," barked Fury. "There are targets set up 1,000 yards out. Eliminate them."

Harry took to the sky and headed towards his targets.

"So what exactly do these targets look like?"

"You'll be able to tell as soon as you see them," said Tony over the radio. As Harry reached the spot, he saw ten barges with big X's marked on them.

"Not very subtle," said Harry. "So Fury, how do you want me to take these things out?"

"Use that damn suit. I don't care how."

"BOB, target the canon on the closer barges. I'll use the blasters to take out the farther targets. We can save the center barge for the chest canon."

"Target's locked sir."

"Unleash hell," said Harry.

As the canon came up from his back and fired on the front four barges, Harry raised his arms and sent explosive spells out of the blaster, causing the sky to be lit up as the barges began exploding. The only one left still intact was the center barge.

"Time to find out how this feels," said Harry. The center reactor began to glow brighter. The unibeam fired at the center barge, knocking Harry back.

"Wow," said Harry as the beam stopped.

"Impressive," said Fury. "Get back over here."

Harry returned to the others and landed next to Tony. The older Stark was smiling and laughing.

"I want one," said Spiderman.

"Oh hell no," said Fury. "You cause enough damage. Last thing you need is one of those."

"So, what did you think," asked Harry as he took off his helmet.

"Nice control. Was that all that it could do," asked Fury.

"No. There are some things that I would need actual enemies for. I can fire various spells out of the blasters on my arms. The cannon from my back piece fires a stunning spell, that can cause explosions if fired on a specific target, as you saw with the front four barges. I have a special weapon that I can use against a large horde of enemies, like the one at the school. I call it the disappearing act. BOB locks onto the targets, a special launcher will come out of my left shoulder and fire small arrows at the targets. As soon as the arrows hit their targets, the target will be taken anywhere in the world. Anywhere I want to send them. The ones at the school ended up in Antarctica."

"I am impressed," said Fury. "Just don't let me hear about you taking on criminals."

"Like I said before, this is just for emergencies. I mean I will not hesitate to help if no one is around and people are in danger."

"Then I guess there is only one thing left to do," said Captain America. "Welcome to the Avengers, Iron Mage."

As everyone was cheering, Harry had wondered if they had heard a word he said. Before he could argue, Cap continued.

"We decided to make you a reserve Avenger. We really do not expect you to answer the call to assemble. We will expect you to protect the innocent when the need arises. That does not mean chasing down purse snatchers. It means stopping armed robberies when the police won't make it on time. Stopping killers that have slipped pass the police."

"So, everything you said you would do," said Tony. "I would not allow this if it was going to put too much pressure on you."

"I guess I am an Avenger now," said Harry. "Who wants to tell my mom?"

"She already knows," said Tony. "This has been talked about for a while."

"Yeah yeah," growled Fury. "We've got an issue. Rhino is robbing another bank."

"How does he keep getting out of the Raft," asked Spiderman. "It really sucks having to chase him down. It usually ends up with me getting slammed into buildings."

"Try not getting hit," said Hawkeye. "What do you say Iron Mage? Feel like taking on a super criminal with the Avengers? Just for fun?"

Everyone looked at Harry as he put his helmet back on.

"Avengers Assemble?"

"Really? Why don't we add some conviction to that," said Tony.

"AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!"

With a roar, Iron Man and Iron Mage took off towards the bank where Rhino was located. Spiderman had attached a web line to Iron Mage, catching a ride to the fight.

As soon as the Rhino was in sight, Spiderman released from Iron Mage and engaged the man beast.

"Why do you insist on repeating the same crimes," said Spiderman as he landed on Rhino's back.

"Why do keep trying to stop me?"

Rhino began bucking, causing Spiderman to be thrown into the ceiling. As he began to walk out of the vault, he was shot in the leg by a blast of energy. He looked and became confused.

"Since when are there two Iron Mans?"

"I think the proper way to say that would be Iron Men," said Iron Mage. "This is my first night on the job, so what do you say we make this quick. I have things to do."

Rhino tried to run away but was soon surrounded by the other Avengers that had just arrived.

"You really picked a bad night to rob a bank," said Captain America.

"I'm touched. You guys figured out that it would take all the Avengers to take me down."

"Actually, we were just in a group meeting," said Mockingbird. "The new guy could take you down by himself. Like Cap said, bad night for you."

Rhino charged in her direction. Before he could get very far, Iron Mage fired a shot that completely immobilized Rhino.

"Did you kill him," asked Hawkeye as he walked up to Rhino's unmoving body.

"Nope. Just a body binding spell. He will be immobile for a few hours."

"Well, we will bag him and tag him," said Cap. "Go on home and get some rest."

The next morning, Harry woke up and found Hermione and Pepper in the kitchen talking and eating breakfast.

"Are you just waking up," asked Pepper as Harry stumbled into the kitchen.

"Yeah. I guess I slept through my alarm. That never happens."

"No. I turned it off after last night," said Tony as he walked into join his family. "You should learn to sleep in sometimes. I am pretty sure it is unhealthy to be up every day before the sun comes up."

"So how did last night go," asked Hermione. "Was Fury happy with the suit?"

"I think so. Everyone else was," said Harry.

"Who all was there?"

"Some of the Avengers. Cap, dad, Bobbi, Clint, Spiderman, Thor, Wasp, and Ant Man. They had a little meeting at some point and decided to make me an Avenger."

"They what," asked Hermione in shock. "I thought you weren't going to do stuff like that?"

"He is only a reserve Avenger," said Tony. "We have many reserve Avengers. We use them when one of the primary members goes inactive or if the reservist has a specialty we need for a certain enemy. Harry would only be called up if I ended up inactive. I don't see that happening any time soon."

"So a backup Avenger?"

"Yeah. That sounds about right," said Pepper. "That is all I would allow. No one would argue with me."

"Harry, as soon as you finish eating, suit up and head over to the tower. We have a lot of work and very little time. I have been ordered to make sure we are both home before dinner."

The day went by quickly for Harry. The entire day was spent setting up furniture and moving heavy equipment. Just as promised to Pepper, Tony and Harry arrived at the house just in time to shower and eat dinner.

After dinner, Harry ran down to Hermione's house and spent the evening with her watching sappy chick flicks. He didn't like any of the movies. He was just happy to have her in his arms. At some point, the two fell asleep on the couch. Melissa Granger loved how happy the two looked. She placed a blanket over them and let the two sleep. She called Pepper to let her know of the situation.

Harry woke up to the smell of bacon cooking and coffee brewing. He quickly realized that he was still on the Granger's couch and Hermione was still in his arms. As he started to move, Hermione began waking up.

"Good morning," she said with a smile in her voice.

"Happy Birthday," he replied, whispering hoping no one would notice.

"Why are you whispering? They know we are here."

"Paranoia."

"So you two are finally awake," said Stewart. "Why don't you join us for breakfast?"

The two got off the couch and slowly walked to the table.

"So what are your plans for today," asked Harry as he joined the Grangers at the table.

"Well, Hermione has her driving test in the morning. We are going to do a small family lunch, and then I think we are just going to play it by ear," said Melissa, knowing what Harry was leading up to.

"Would it be ok with you guys if I took Hermione out tonight for her birthday. Dinner with just the two of us?"

Hermione got excited hearing the words come out of Harry's mouth. After her father messed with her head, they agreed to allow the date. After breakfast, Harry ran home to jump in his suit and leave for Stark Tower. On the suit was a message telling him to stay home, help his mother, and make sure he was ready for his date.

For Hermione, the day went by quickly. Her sixteenth birthday was turning out fabulous. For Harry, the day seemed to drag on and on. He worked on his truck for a while, and spent the entire afternoon lounging around watching Maria. As five drew closer, Harry took a long shower, made sure his suit was perfect. Everything black except his green tie. He made sure he had Hermione's gifts, and as soon as Happy pulled up to the house, he ran out the door to hurry to his girlfriend house. He walked up to the door and was greeted by her little sister Michelle.

"What are your plans with my sister," asked the seven year old.

"To take he to dinner," answered Harry.

"Michelle, let him in," yelled Stewart. As Harry walked in, he saw Hermione coming down the stairs. She was wearing a dark green dress with matching heels.

"Wow."

"Is that all you can say," asked Stewart.

"Does anything else really need to be said," asked Melissa.

As Hermione reached Harry, he handed her two boxes. She opened the long one first, finding the necklace. Harry placed it around her neck, happy that he made a good choice. When she opened the earrings, she squealed in delight. She took out the earrings she had on and replaced them with her new ones. After taking what seemed like millions of pictures, the two hurried out to the car and were off on their first official date. They arrived at the restaurant where they were escorted to a private room.

"This is incredible," said Hermione as she walked into the room.

"It sure is," thought Harry.

Dinner was filled with small talk and talk about Harry being a reserve Avenger. He reassured Hermione that he was not going out and playing superhero. He did like that he could call himself an Avenger though. It was an awesome honor. After dinner, the two climbed into the waiting car and drove around the city, once again enjoying being in each other's arms.

"Do we have to go home," asked Hermione, resting her head on Harry's chest.

"Nope. We are not going home. We are going to Stark Tower. The others will be there tomorrow, leaving the entire place to just us."

Hermione lifted her head off Harry and starred into his bright green eyes.

"Just the two of us? No one else?"

"Yeah. Just us," said Harry, hiding the truth from her.

"So we could do whatever we wanted," she said in a seductive tone.

"I see where this is headed, and I am very conflicted at the moment."

"Conflicted?"

"Yeah. Part of me really wants to see where this will go."

"And the other part?"

"Doesn't want to break the trust of my family or your family."

Hermione leaned her head back onto his chest after kissing him on the cheek.

"I guess you're right."

Harry felt like he had disappointed her. That was not his intention. He really wanted to continue down the road they were going. He also knew that their friends were going to be at Stark Tower. That would have made things awkward. The car pulled up to the tower, letting the couple out in front of the elevators in the garage. They took the elevator to the 73rd floor and walked into their new living space for the summer. Hermione was surprised to see all of their friends waiting for them.

"I thought you said they weren't coming until tomorrow?"

"My bad," said Harry with a cheesy grin.

The two quickly changed and then joined their friends in the entertainment room for a Walking Dead Marathon.

"This is going to be an awesome summer," said Harry as he held Hermione close to him.

**So this chapter gave me headaches. Next chapter is not giving me headaches. It is making me smile. Much fun coming.**


	8. Chapter 8

Two months had passed by for the students of the New York Academy for Elite Witches and Wizards. Tony insisted the new school brag about how much better their students were. The students were enjoying training for the upcoming competition. Everyone but Steven was excited that they were all eligible to compete in both magical and non-magical dueling. No one understood why they would allow teenagers to compete in MMA matches, but they were not arguing. Everyone trained for their physical events in the mornings, and worked on their magic based events in the afternoons. Hermione was the only one competing in the swimming competitions. The magical swimming competition required her to use a specific charm and swim nonstop for one hour. The winner was the person who swam the farthest distance. Hermione spent every morning doing weight training and resistance training in the pool to make herself better. Talia spent her mornings working with the guys on her fighting abilities. The workouts were intense, lasting four hours every day. Hermione joined in the fight training after her pool workout. The MMA training was assisted by Clint and Captain America. Bobbi would work with Talia from time to time, when she was not out on an assignment.

The magic training consisted of preparing various potions without using any notes and under extreme pressure. No one was sure what kind of pressure, but it did not sound fun. The other major completion was one in which the competitors had to determine what magic to use in certain situations. That included spells, potions, charms, deciphering runes, and many other aspects. It was a team event, so all six teens were competing in the event. Steven was named team captain during the event since it was his only major focus.

It was a week before Harry's birthday and everything was perfect in life. Harry and Hermione were happy as could be. Harry had only spent a few hours a week in either the garage or lab. He made sure he spent as much time with Hermione not training as he could. He also made sure he spent time with just her, away from their friends at least once a week. They did simple things like watch a movie together in their room, or take a Saturday and go shopping.

"Harry," called Pepper as she walked into the kitchen where all the kids were eating breakfast.

"Mom," Harry called back.

"Never mind. I found them. Hermione, Talia, get dressed and get ready to go."

"Where are we going," asked Talia.

"You two have been stuck in this building with the guys for two months now. Melissa and I think it is time for a girls day out."

The two teenage girls jumped up and ran to their rooms to change.

"What about us," said Harry to his mom, putting on a pouty face.

"Talk to your dad."

It only took Hermione and Talia twenty minutes to get ready to leave.

"That has got to be a record," said Jason. "They never get ready that quick."

After saying their goodbyes, the ladies left, leaving the four guys alone in the tower. Two hours after being left alone, the guys had a huge barbeque going on the balcony and were enjoying an action movie marathon. It was just what they needed. Shortly after two, Harry received an unexpected guest in the form of Nick Fury.

"What's up Fury?"

"Is there somewhere we can talk in private Stark?"

Harry led Fury to the Iron WorkX Lab.

"What's up?"

"I have some information that has to deal with Voldemort. Actually, it deals more with his followers."

"Are they still looking for me?"

"Not that we can tell. One of our agents came across an interesting situation while gathering intel in Latveria. These are the photos I just received."

Fury handed Harry an file with pictures of many people he recognized.

"Is that Viper?"

"Yeah. As far as we can tell, we have Doom meeting with HYDRA, AIM, and many low level criminals. We also have these people meeting with him."

Harry was handed another file and looked at the photos. The woman he recognized.

"That was the woman at our school. She was the one that tortured Professor Caesar. Have you talked to dad about this?"

"I was hoping to catch him here. Something big is going down. I can feel it. I hate not knowing things."

"We know more now than we did last week."

Before Fury could respond, Harry's phone began to ring.

"Sorry. The girlfriend calls, I must answer."

He hit talk on the phone and dropped the phone as soon as he heard the back ground noise. Fury saw rage fill Harry's face. He watched as Harry ran towards a window that was starting to open. He picked up the phone and heard screaming. He looked back up and saw Harry jump out of the window without his armor. He rushed to the window and watched as the armor formed onto Harry.

Fury picked up his phone and called the Helicarrier.

"This is Director Fury. We have an emergency. Locate the Iron Mage signal and proceed.

Harry was pushing the limits of his suit. He had already put out the call to the Avengers. It was time to see if being a member really did have its benefits. He found the women surrounded by Death Eaters. He could tell that Hermione's vest was the only thing keeping them safe. He roared in and began an all out assault on the attackers. He said nothing. He just began slamming into Death Eaters, not even trying to blast them. He wanted to break them. As the spells hit his armor, BOB counter attacked with the shoulder cannon. It was only seconds after Harry arrived that the rest of the Avengers arrived. Tony was among them. He attacked with more hate and anger than anyone had ever seen before. The other Avengers just provided back up as the two Stark men let their rage out. The attack was less than two minutes. Most of the Death Eaters disapparated during the fight. The ones that didn't were taken into custody by the arriving S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. While everyone was clearing things up, Harry just looked around at all the chaos and the fear in Hermione's eyes. The fear in Talia's eyes. He walked over to Hermione who wrapped her arms around him.

"I need you to go with your mom and my mom to the hospital and get checked out," said Harry, his voice altered by the suit.

"Come with us," cried Hermione.

"I need to talk to someone right now. I will meet you all at Stark Tower."

She let go and watched as he flew off towards the Helicarrier. He found Fury standing on the flight deck. Harry landed in front of him, slamming into the deck.

"We need to talk," said Harry passing Fury.

Fury followed Harry into the Helicarrier and into the Avengers Conference room.

"I know you are angry," said Fury as Harry took off his helmet. He then noticed the tears in Harry's eyes.

"I'm not just angry. I am scared. Do you know why they attacked my mother, my girlfriend, her mother, and one of our best friends? Do you?"

"Looking for you?"

"NO! They were sending a message to my dad! They told my mom to give dad a message. To tell dad that the Avengers had better stay out of their way."

"They would not expect the Avengers to be able to take on witches and wizards," said Fury. "I would bet you your entire family fortune that some of our regular super criminals will be attacking magical communities soon. No one will be able to properly handle the new enemies."

"What I want next is going to piss you off, and I don't give a shit," said Harry, starring into Fury's eye. "I don't care if you have to get the president of the United States to sign a pardon forgiving all past and future transgressions. I don't care if I have to give him every dime my family has. I want the best protecting me and my family and my friends. And I will get what I want."

Fury knew exactly who Harry was talking about.

"You know he won't even talk to me. He will shoot me before I get near him."

"I'll talk to him. I know exactly where he is. Doing some work with that family that has the same methods he does. I just need leverage."

"Even if you get him, how is he going to help. That is one more body before your friends. One more gun."

"So we add more guns," said Harry. "My friends will not be left unarmed ever again. Not after today."

"You want me to allow six teenagers to carry weapons at all times?! Are you out your fucking mind?!"

"Maybe. And no, they will not be carrying at all times. But they will know how to use a variety of firearms. They will have access to the firearms in case something like this happens and we are all together. They will be able to fight back!"

"I am only going to allow this because you are much more level headed than your father. Do not make me regret this. If anything goes wrong, I will arrest you and all your friends in a heart beat."

"One more thing that might give you the aneurysm you have been feeling building up."

"I think I already know where you are going with this. The final work has to be approved by me."

Harry began walking out, putting his helmet back on.

"What about the first request," asked Harry.

"Give me 48 hours."

Harry took off back to Stark Tower. He landed and was met by his dad.

"Where the hell were you?"

"Taking care of some business. We need to talk," said Harry as he took off his helmet.

The two went inside to the lab where Harry took off his armor.

"I know that they were sending a message to me," said Tony.

"That is only the beginning," said Harry. He then told Tony what Fury had revealed to him earlier.

"Why didn't he tell me all of this?"

"Because you weren't here when he showed up. I just came back from having a brief talk with him. With all of this crap happening, I do not want to take any chances. I promised Hermione that I would keep her safe. I failed."

"You can't protect her at all times. She can't be with you all day every day."

"Exactly."

Harry opened a file on his computer and showed Tony a 3D model of a project he had just been messing around with.

"This was just something to keep me occupied for a while. Now it is going into production."

"Great minds really do think alike," said Tony. He then opened a file revealing something he had been working on for a while.

"I also got authorization to have all of us going overseas trained with firearms. Not to be used unless absolutely necessary. And I am working on getting someone to come help build those firearms, and join the security team."

"Speaking of security team, Hank is going with you guys. His sister and niece were attacked today too. He is pissed. Who is the guy you are thinking of?"

"Let's just say it is going to take a lot from the government to get the man to agree."

"Are you trying to kill Fury?"

"No. I am trying to keep my friends and family safe. Where are Hermione and the others?"

"They are about to leave the hospital. They will leave as soon as we arrive to provide air support."

Harry put his armor back on and took off with his dad. As soon as they were over the hospital, six S.H.I.E.L.D. cars took off. Also part of the security was Spiderman swinging ahead of the convoy. In the cars were Avengers. Hermione, Melissa, Pepper, Talia, and Stewart were in one of the cars with Clint and Bobbi.

"Why didn't he come to the hospital with us," Hermione asked her dad, angry and hurt that Harry took off.

"I am sure he has a good reason," said Stewart.

"I know he had a confrontation with Fury," said Clint. "That is how we got the convoy."

"Hermione, I am going to give you some advice to help you get through what could become a very long week," said Pepper. "When stuff like this happens to Tony, he locks himself in the lab all day. I don't see Harry doing anything different. Have patience. He will be there at night to hold you. We were all scared. Imagine how he felt getting the phone call of all the screaming. He is going to be a wreck. He is going to whatever he can to make sure that if there is a next time, things will be different. It wasn't just you attacked. One of his best friends was attacked too. Your mother was attacked. He will be trying to find a way to keep everyone safe. He will not rest until he figures out a way."

Everyone arrived at Stark Tower and a large group meeting took place. Also in attendance were Jason and Talia's parents as well as Mason's mom , and Steven's mom.

"Is this the type of security we can expect when the kids go overseas," asked Mr. Holmes, obviously upset and rightfully so.

"No. After today, things are changing," said Tony. "The security team is growing. Hermione's uncle is coming with us, as well as another man that we are working on recruiting. I won't say who it is until I am sure we have him. On top of that, we are going to be training the kids on the proper use and care of firearms."

"Your answer to this is give teenagers guns," said Mason's mother.

"Not exactly. All six of these kids are capable of taking down multiple attackers with their magic. They are trained on when to use that weapon. This is just going to be in case all hell were to break loose. It will give them another tool to defend themselves."

"On top of that, I am going to be working on vests that Hermione and I have. Consider it a bullet proof vest with a magic twist. The vest will be able to stop a sniper's bullet without bruising the person wearing it. The magical shielding will stop the bullets six feet out. The bullet will burn up trying to push through the magic barrier. We unloaded an entire standard firearm into the vest. From a twenty round clip, none of the bullets hit the vest. From a sniper's rifle one mile away, the barrier stopped three rounds. The metal the vests are made of will stop knives, bullets, and protect the body from any explosions or shrapnel from an explosion."

"Those things have been put through the most extreme tests. It is the reason the women survived today," said Sirius, joining the group. "I am also looking into other ways to make them safer."

"I've got some old friends joining us too," said Dr. Jackson. "Some of my old Special Forces friends. The kids will be better protected than the Queen of England. Not to mention Harry's suit."

"The point is, I understand you are all worried about the kids. I would be too. Hell, I am worried. But I refuse to live in fear because of some lunatics. If we stay here and barricade ourselves indoors, then they have won."

After assuring all the parents that the kids were safe, Harry went into the lab, followed by Tony, Sirius, and Dr. Jackson. Stewart seemed agitated that Harry just left Hermione alone again. He made his way to the lab to chew Harry out.

"You have some nerve," said Stewart walking into the lab.

"Stewart, I am glad you followed," said Tony. "Harry has some things to show you. We also would like you to assist training the kids on how to shoot properly."

"My daughter is out there, scared, and you retreat to your little lab!"

Harry turned around and Stewart saw the pain in Harry's eyes.

"I am in here because I failed to do what I promised your daughter. I failed to keep her safe!"

"You could not have predicted this."

"I know. But I can make sure that she is better protected if there is a next time."

Harry pulled open the file, showing Stewart his plans.

"Does she know about this?"

"No. Until a short time ago, this was just a creative way to pass time. Now it is being built. I may not be able to protect her at all times, but I can sure as hell give her the equipment to protect herself and others."

"Pepper's getting one too," said Tony. "If you want, we can build Michelle one as well."

"She wouldn't want it. She is going to be carrying a gun from now on though. Harry, you can't hide in here all day. Hermione needs you. Tony, I will say the same thing to you. Pepper needs you. They will understand, but they will not like it."

"Tell Hermione I will be up as soon as I get things rolling down here," said Harry. "I won't be long."

Harry was true to his word. He returned to the others after getting his project rolling. He and Hermione went into their room and fell asleep. They were woken up by Pepper letting them know that dinner was ready. After dinner, Harry returned to the lab to continue working on his newest projects.

The next few days were rough on Hermione. Harry would go to bed with her, but she would wake up alone. He would spend the entire day in the lab, join everyone for dinner, and then return to the lab until Hermione was ready to go to sleep. He would sleep for a few hours and then return to the lab.

Two days before his birthday, his request from Nick Fury arrived.

"Where is Stark," a large man carrying three duffel bags asked Jarvis.

"Which one," asked Jarvis.

"The one who got me this," said the man holding up an envelope with the presidential seal.

"That one. Follow me."

Jarvis led the man into a large room filled with machines. He looked around at all the machinery and realized it was everything he needed to build his guns and other necessary equipment.

"So Fury was able to find you," said Harry as he walked into the room.

"Yeah. Had one hell of a proposal. Even got me this," handing the envelope to Harry.

"Good. So the question Mr. Castle is, are you in or out?"  
"Why me?"

"Because you are the best at what you do. I need the best right now."

"What all does this job entail? Fury said something about teaching a group of kids how to use custom firearms. Why would I even consider that?"

"Because of what's in that envelope. Because as much as the press make you out to be a monster, you are a man who is protecting the people. You just go to extremes. Many people actually like what you do. You do what we only wish we could do. As for why would you teach six teenagers how to use a firearm properly, I take it you heard about the incident involving my mother."  
"Yeah. Her and three others."

"Two of them are the teenagers you will be training. Two of them have abilities you could not even imagine. I want you because we could very well end up in a nightmare of a war."

"Fury also said something about a security detail. Are you wanting me to babysit you and your friends? That is not going to happen."

"No. You will not be babysitting us. We are more than capable of taking care of ourselves. In one month, we are leaving for Scotland. The people that attacked my mother originate from England. They have also been meeting with many of the super criminals that you and all the other heroes and vigilantes deal with on a regular basis. They were all seen meeting in Latveria. And just to make things a little sweeter, we will be paying you as well."

"How long are you planning on being overseas?"

"Until next May. This is a onetime offer. Unless I call Fury saying you agree, that envelope means nothing."

"So what kind of people are we dealing with? And what kind of weapons are you wanting?"

"This is going to sound strange, but do you believe in magic?"

Frank looked at Harry like he had lost his mind.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"No. Follow me. I will show you what I am talking about."

Harry led Frank to the lab where Tony, Sirius, Dr. Jackson, and Stewart were all huddled around a computer.

"Granger," said Frank is shock.

"When Harry said he was looking at recruiting someone, I never thought it would be you," said Stewart, walking towards Frank.

"Wait. You two know each other," said Harry in disbelief.

"We did a few missions together when I was in the SAS. You really know how to pick an army," said Stewart.

"How are you mixed in all of this," asked Frank.

"Harry is dating my daughter."

"And he is still breathing? How is that?"

"Because he is a damn good kid. He just has some issues with focusing too much on work, but that should be over soon. Right?"

"If everything goes according to schedule, all equipment will be completed by tomorrow morning," said Harry.

"This is science," Frank said to Harry. "What was that crap about magic?"

Sirius pulled out his wand and sent a spell at a target, destroying the target upon impact.

"Welcome to a new kind of war," said Harry.

"Frank, it takes some getting used to," said Tony. "Since Harry has some work to get done, I will show you where you will be sleeping. I take it you saw your shop?"

"That is my shop?"

"If there is something missing, just let us know. All weapon designs will need to be approved by Stewart. Just a checks and balances kind of thing. Since you two know each other, Stewart can work with you. And thank you."

Frank left with Stewart and Tony while Harry continued working on his projects. As the evening came close, Harry did not follow his usual routine. He stayed down in the lab, ignoring all calls and messages. Hermione found herself sleeping with Talia. She could not understand why Harry was so obsessed. Did he not know that she was scared to be without him?

The next morning, Tony and Sirius found Harry sleeping on the lab floor. He had a jacket under his head and was drooling onto the floor.

"I hoped it would never happen to him," said Tony, starring down at Harry.

"This has happened to you," asked Sirius.

"Way too often."

Harry began stirring at the sound of voices. He quickly realized that his father and godfather were staring down at him.

"I'm in trouble aren't I?"

"Not with me," said Tony. "Hermione might try and kill you though."

"I had to finish," said Harry.

"And did you," asked Sirius.

"Everything is good to go," said Harry, standing up.

"Then go clean up and take Hermione out. Take her to lunch. Apologize your ass off. She will understand later when we have the grand reveal, but until then, she is going to be very furious. I'll take care of all the cleanup and final touches."

Harry stumbled out of the lab and into his room. He found Hermione sitting on the bed reading. She looked at him like he had just returned from the dead.

"I can't even think of the right words to say how sorry I am," began Harry.

Hermione jumped off the bed and leapt into his arms.

"Just tell me that you are done. That is all I want to hear," said Hermione.

"I think I am done," said Harry. "I may have some minor things to fix, but they will not require much attention. You will be getting all of that."

"What have you been working on?"

"That will be revealed later. Right now, I need to take a shower, and then you and I are going out. Just the two of us."

"Are you sure we will be allowed?"

"I have orders."

She kissed him softly and began walking to the shower.

"Are you coming," she asked.

Harry was not sure what to do. He decided that nothing would go too far, and he was not going to tell her no after all he had put her through. He walked into the bathroom and saw that she was already in the shower with the water running. He stripped out of his clothes and entered the shower, taken aback at the sight that was in front of him. He had seen her in a bikini many times, but this was the first time he had seen her in the nude. It was also the first time she had seen him. He pulled her naked body next to his and kissed her with a fiery passion that could have lit a large bon fire. It was the most intense moment the two had ever shared. It was also the longest shower they had ever taken. Most of it was the two of them just wrapped in each other's arms. After their intimate shower, the two dried off and quickly got dressed. While Hermione went to tell the others where she and Harry were going, Harry went to let his mom and dad know.

"You need to take an escort," said Pepper.

"Mom. I have a fully functional suit. It can travel with me everywhere I go. I am on the list of allowed escorts."

"I would feel safer if you took someone with you."

"That would defeat the purpose of quality time alone," argued Harry. "I know you are scared mom, but I would not be arguing with you if I thought for a second that I would not be able to keep Hermione or myself safe."

"Pepper, he is more than capable," said Tony, letting his opinion be heard. "He will have his suit with him. He has the ability to put out the call to the other Avengers. He will be fine."

"Hey, we have to take Happy with us," said Harry. "Hermione still does not feel comfortable driving in New York City."

"If her mother is ok with it, then I will be ok with it."

Melissa was hesitant at first, but after a vote of confidence from Stewart, she agreed to let the two teens go alone. Harry and Hermione enjoyed their time away from the tower. The first stop they made was to the same jeweler that Harry had gotten Hermione's earrings and necklace from. Hermione was happy to get the matching bracelet. After a nice lunch and quick shopping trip, the two returned to the tower just in time to start the big reveal.

After everyone was gathered, Harry and Tony started going over the major changes.

"First of all, I would like to introduce the official team going to Scotland with the kids. Dr. Jackson, Professor Caesar, and Sirius are going as faculty of the school. Thank you Aimee for agreeing to join the staff."

"It is a pleasure."

"For security, we have Agents Clint and Bobbi Barton. Both agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and card carrying members of the Avengers. Joining them is Dr. Hank McCoy. He is not only a member of the Avengers and X-Men, but also Hermione's uncle. Very protective. The last member of the team might worry some of you, but this has been approved by very powerful people. Frank Castle will be joining the team. He is our weapons expert and will be providing stealthy security."

Only Steven's mother had concerns about the Punisher going with the kids, but was reassured when the letter from the President was shown to her.

"I am still working on gathering my former teammates," said Jackson. "I should have them all gathered by the end of next week."

"Now that the team has been introduced, time to show you what has put Harry in the dog house with Hermione," said Tony.

"The first items are for Talia, Jason, Mason, and Steven," began Harry. "When I was eleven, I was caught in a terrorist showdown in Time Square. From that incident, Sirius and my dad developed these odd looking shirts."

Harry pulled off a sheet and revealed the metal shirts.

"These shirts are made of a very rare metal called Vibranium. Only one other metal on the planet could get through this metal, and that is even more rare. The vest will stop any bullet from any firearm, from any distance. It has been very thoroughly tested. Hermione was wearing hers when they were attacked. It was that shirt that saved them. Now all of us teenagers will have one. We will go over all of the specifics of what cool features it has, but the most important thing to know is that it will keep them safe from most magical spells and any knives or bullets. Also, Frank and Hermione's father have been working on designs for custom weapons for us to have in case of emergency. I will once again reassure all parents that we will not have these weapons on us at all times. They will be locked in a secure locker. Clint and Bobbi are the only two that can authorize use of them. Frank has informed me that he will begin building the weapons tomorrow. Now comes to the big reason I have spent most of my time in the lab."

"Actually, it is why we have been spending most of our time in the lab," said Tony. "Pepper and Hermione. Will you two join us up here?"

Pepper and Hermione slowly joined the two Stark men. Neither one had a clue about what was going on.

"Last Friday, I failed to keep a promise I had made you when I first got in my armor," Harry said to Hermione. "I promised I would protect you. I failed."

"Harry…"

"I know it was not my fault. There was nothing I could do. That is mostly true. There was something I could do. And now I have done it."

Harry pulled out his earpiece and then handed Hermione a similar one.

"Never again will I be scared to let you out of my sight," said Harry.

"What is this?"

"Put it in your ear, and then step on that platform," said Harry with a smile.

Hermione looked at Harry with great suspicion. After she was on the platform, Harry continued.

"BOB, activate program HJG85468. Hermione, don't freak out."

Before she could say anything, metal parts began attaching onto Hermione. Everyone in the room was cheering as armor formed onto her. The helmet was the last to attach, her face plate staying up.

"I give you, the Iron Angel Mark 1."

Hermione was smiling bigger than she had ever before. She looked at Harry and mouthed thank you. She stood proud in the armor. It was red and silver, matching one of Tony's earlier paint schemes.

"Why is it called the Iron Angel," asked Hank.

"I think I know why," said Hermione. "I take it BOB is in my system as well."

"Yeah. He is programmed to respond to you now as well as me."

"BOB, engage wings."

In a flash, a large set of metallic wings popped out of the back.

"Can I have one," asked Bobbi.

"No," said Clint. "I would never be allowed to win a fight again."

"When can I test this out," asked Hermione.

"Later this evening. The four of us can go for a nice flight."

"What do you mean four of us," asked Pepper.

"I know you said you did not want a weaponized suit of armor," began Tony. "So I made you a non weaponized suit of armor. Introducing Rescue."

A suit began attaching itself to Pepper. It looked nothing like any of the suits Tony had built before. Like the Iron Angel, it had the form of a woman, but no noticeable blasters.

"The Rescue armor is for exactly what it sounds like. Search and Rescue. It also has shielding capabilities that can protect anyone in a fifty foot radius of the suit. And with the new developments by Sirius, it, along with my suit, has magical shielding capabilities. Now I know that you will be safe too."

"There are no weapons on this thing?"

"One blaster, but that is more for getting through heavy debris. It could also be used to stop any attackers if it was necessary."

"I want to see a full test run on those suits," said Fury. "And I want to know exactly what both of them can do."

"We are going to need some time to get used to everything," said Hermione.

"I'll set up a practice range at one of our facilities," said Fury.

"Why don't we go for a test flight," said Harry with a smile.

After he and Tony were suited up, the four took off in the night sky for a fun relaxing flight.

**This chapter was much easier to write. It flowed a lot easier. Already working on the next chapter. Hopefully up before the weekend.**


	9. Chapter 9

The next month went by quickly for the occupants of Stark Tower. The daily schedule was packed for the students. They were all up by six in the morning for their workouts. Breakfast was at 8:30 with three hours of weapons training starting at nine. Since Aimee and Sirius did not have proper firearms training, they also participated. After lunch, everyone began working on training in different areas. Harry was working on modifying vehicles to operate in the magic rich environment they would be staying in. Steven worked with Hank and Aimee on perfecting his medical techniques. They went over muggle and magical remedies that would complement each other. They also worked out new delivery methods for traditional magical remedies. Talia and Hermione spent their time getting ready for the competition. They worked with Bobbi on their unarmed combat and resistance training. Hermione also spent a lot of time in the pool. Mason worked on his strength training, getting help from the part time Avenger Luke Cage. Mason also worked on his unarmed combat with Clint. Jason split his time between getting an extra workout and learning new things from Frank. He had started learning close quarter combat techniques with knives. He also worked with more powerful weapons. Frank was enjoying passing on his knowledge. His one fear was that Jason would eventually turn down his path, but then he realized that he would have to suffer great loss to be forced down the path of the Punisher.

The week before the kids left for Europe, their families gathered for a week of relaxation together. Everyone spent their days at the spa, shopping, at the movies, and enjoying family dinners. While the kids enjoyed their time with their families Dr. Jackson, his team, Frank, and Hank all went to Scotland early to setup the living quarters and to scout the grounds, setting up security sensors built by Tony and Sirius.

The day before leaving, everyone gathered in Stark Tower for one last dinner with their kids before they would be gone for almost an entire year overseas.

"Before we get all the sentimental speeches started, I would like to get the small amounts of business out of the way," began Sirius. "First of all, your uniforms arrived just in time. They will be issued to you when we arrive at Hogwarts. I am covering all of this now so that you all are not over loaded with information after a very long flight. Our flight leaves at three in the morning. I know it sucks, but that is when we have to leave. Once we land in London, we will be taking a port key to Hogwarts. After getting settled in and maybe getting a quick nap, we will have to get ready for the opening ceremonies. Is everything ready for that?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "All equipment is ready. Communications are ready. The only issue I see is how are Jason and I going to meet up with our transport before the ceremony. It will be hard to hide that thing."

"I will apparate you both to a private air field where Clint and Bobbi will be waiting for you. All your other transportation modes are being delivered as we speak. Now, one last thing. The morning after the opening ceremonies, Hogwarts is hosting a Captain's breakfast. The two team Captains from each school will gather for a friendly introduction. Now, I understand that one team captain was already chosen."

"I protested and I lost," said Harry.

"Your vote of 'not me' was very outnumbered," said Jason.

"Five to one it was outvoted," said Sirius. "The issue now I who do we name as the second team captain?"

"I say we leave it to Harry," said Talia. "He is the team captain after all."

"Fine. If our goal is to intimidate people and make them worry about our team, then it is obvious who our second captain should be. Steven."

Steven looked at Harry in shock. The word intimidating would not be one used to describe him.

"Why," asked Steven. "What about me says intimidating?"

"When we go to that breakfast, the physical aspect of the team will be covered by me. I can be physically intimidating. When it comes to mentally intimidating, you are almost a licensed doctor and healer. You are smarter than any other competitor. They will fear you when it comes to all intellectual competitions. And you have hid in the background ever since we started school together. Now is your time to shine."

"I agree," said Hermione.

"All in favor," said Harry.

Everyone in the room raised their hands.

"I was actually just talking about us kids, but hey, the more support the better," said Harry.

After taking care of business, the good luck speeches and do us proud speeches commenced. As ten at night came, the only ones left in the Tower were the kids. They were busy packing their last minute items. Hermione walked into hers and Harry's room and found him in a military uniform.

"I thought we weren't getting those until we arrived at Hogwarts?"

"This is just the test uniform. Sirius and I had been working on certain enchantments for all of them. Our uniforms have a pocket that will actually hold our armors. Magic is awesome like that. We just have to remember to put them away before washing the uniforms. All the uniforms have the same enchantments as our vests. We also finally figured out how to enchant items for non-magical people. Clint, Bobbi, Frank, and your uncle will all have items enchanted."

"I'm sorry, I have not heard a word you have said. I have been too distracted by how sexy you look in that uniform," said Hermione, a lustful gleam coming from her eyes.

"How are you going to keep yourself under control all year having to see me in it?"

"I'm not. I can't keep pushing these feelings back. For months, we have slept next to each other. You don't know how hard it has been to keep from just giving into my urges."

Harry picked her up and carried her to the bed, kissing her with a passion that rivaled all romantic movies. After he laid her down on the bed, Hermione grabbed her wand and waved it over her lower pubic region.

"Talia taught me a couple of important things," she said with a smile. She then flicked her wand, locking their bedroom door. The two spent the next couple of hours exploring each other in ways they had only dreamt about. After taking a quick shower, the very happy couple joined their friends in the entertainment room, doing everything they could to stay awake until they left for the airport. When they walked in, Talia and Mason grabbed Hermione and ran off to the kitchen. Harry sat down and just got stared at by Jason and Steven.

"What?"

"It is about damn time," said Jason, laughing as he said it.

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"I know that look," said Jason. "That is a very distinct look. That is the look of a man who has had some mind blowing sex."

"Do you mind keeping it down. There are cameras with voice recording capabilities all over," said Harry softly but sternly.

"Congrats," said Jason. "What finally caused the dam to break?"

"Apparently, me in a uniform is a huge turn on," said Harry. He then gave minimal details about what happened.

"You do know that my sister and Mason most likely know every little detail of what happened in that room."

"She can talk. I won't."

Hermione, Talia, and Mason rejoined the group just as it was time to load the cars and leave for the airport. Sirius and Aimee arrived to get everyone moving and were shocked to see the teens ready to go. They packed all of their luggage into the two cars and took off for the airport. An hour later, the plane took off for London. All the travelers were asleep as soon as the plane reached cruising altitude. They woke up to the captain announcing that they were approaching their destination. They landed and taxied into a Stark Industries private hangar. Everyone unloaded and found the building to be empty except for a large trunk.

"Everyone grab your luggage and place it in the trunk," instructed Sirius.

"Is that the portkey," asked Mason.

"Yep. A creative idea I came up with for people with a lot of luggage. It's how I was able to move all of Harry's lab from the school to Stark Tower. Now hurry up. We have fifteen minutes until this thing leaves."

Everyone quickly loaded the luggage into the trunk and then grabbed onto one of the many handles around. As the time arrived, the team were whisked away from the airport and arrived at Hogwarts in front of a large metal container. Standing outside the container were Dr. Jackson and the man he had introduced as Alex Williams.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Dr. Jackson, pointing at the large castle behind him.

"The school is a castle? Really," asked Talia in amazement.

"Can our new school be a castle," asked Steven. "At least look like one?"

"I will pitch the idea to Tony," said Sirius. "Let's get inside and unpack everything."

Everyone moved into the large container and were happy to see the interior looked nothing like the exterior. The main room was filled with televisions, couches, and a large coffee table.

"Welcome to the Bunker," said Dr. Jackson. "This is your home for the next year. Just past this room is the kitchen. We will be serving our own breakfast and lunch, except for special occasions, like the Captain's breakfast in the morning. I must say that I agree with naming Steven as the second Captain. Everyone will have kitchen duty. This will include cooking and cleaning. Dinner will be in the Hogwarts Great Hall. Again, unless other events conflict. Past the kitchen are the bedrooms. They are labeled. Not hard to figure out who sleeps where. Past the bedrooms is the access door to the lower levels. No one outside of our team is allowed down there. The lower levels hold our Operations Center, Training Rooms, Medical Lab, Harry's Lab, Frank's Lab, and the Armory. No one is allowed in the armory unless approved by myself. Now, go unpack and get some rest. The opening ceremonies start in six hours. We need to have everything for the ceremonies ready in five."

The teens rushed to their rooms and began making their rooms fell more like home. They also found their uniforms hanging in their closets. After getting everything put away, they all gathered in the front room and relaxed before being instructed to put their uniforms on. They got a quick lesson on proper wear of the camouflage uniform, including the berets. They all noticed the different emblems on their uniforms.

"Since we are going with the military look, we had to go with a military ranking scheme. Since I was a Navy SEAL, we are using the Navy ranking system. Harry and Steven are the captains, so they have the eagles. Talia and Hermione are the lieutenants, which in the Navy is represented by the two bars. Mason and Jason will be wearing the striped of a Master Chief Petty Officer. We are dropping the petty officer and just calling the two of you Master Chief. Now, let's go over the timing of our entrance for the opening ceremonies."

**The Opening Ceremonies**

The British Minister of Magic stood up and silenced the crowd after the school from China had made their entrance on the backs of flaming dragons.

"And now help me welcome the students representing the United States of America, from the New York Academy for Elite Witches and Wizards."

The crowd waited for the arrival of the Americans. Slowly, they heard music begin to fill the stadium.(Thunderstruck by AC/DC) As the intensity of the music built, two large Humvees came racing into the stadium, both with American flags mounted on the roofs. Also visible were six brooms mounted on racks. The two vehicles stopped in the middle of the stadium and four people stepped out of the vehicles. They were dressed like soldiers. The four grabbed their brooms off the racks and mounted them. People in the crowd were not impressed. As everyone focused on the four on the ground, the music had covered the sound of something coming in loud and fast. With a roar, a Quinjet raced above the stadium and began a vertical ascent.

**In the Quinjet**

"Are you two sure about this," asked Clint as he flew the Quinjet to the designated height.

"This is the most insane thing I could imagine the two of you doing," said Bobbi.

"It is insane. That's why we are doing it," said Jason.

"Go ahead and open the doors," said Harry.

The doors opened, revealing the stadium below. Harry and Jason were hanging from straps.

"Alright, time to go," said Harry to Jason. "We'll see you two back at the Bunker."

The two unhooked themselves from the straps and fell out of the jet, plummeting down to the ground. The two had done some insane things in their lives, but this was the most extreme. Very few people would ever attempt to jump out of a plane without a parachute. As they soared down, they heard the music blaring. As the ground got closer, Harry started talking to the four students on the ground.

"Alright guys. Go ahead and launch."

Hermione, Steven, Mason, and Talia took off from the ground and started racing around the stadium. The two remaining brooms took off from the racks and raced to the center of the stadium. Everyone in the audience looked on in horror as the two young men came closer to the ground. Cheers erupted as the two landed only one hundred feet above the ground on their brooms. They took off and joined the formation the others had started. Harry took the point while Jason picked up the center of the rear. They shifted their positions slightly. Harry lowered himself down ten feet, still in the lead of the formation. Talia and Hermione were in the center of the triangle. They lowered down five feet. Mason, Steven, and Jason made up the rear and stayed as they were. As soon as all were in position, streams of colored smoke came shooting out the back of their brooms. Harry had red, the girls had white, and the back had blue. They flew around the top of the stadium, causing a spiral of red white and blue smoke as they made their way down. As the song came to an end, the six formed a straight line in front of the dignitaries stand. Harry and Steven were in the center, flanked by Hermione and Talia, who were flanked by Mason and Jason. They all stood up on their brooms, causing another round of applause as the six saluted the stand. The American Secretary of Magic stood up and saluted back. He had a huge smile on his face. As the cheers died down, a sound came from a distance that had all the American Students worried. It was a sound many New Yorkers had heard over the years.

"Clint, Bobbi, we have a problem," said Harry as he and the others returned to the Humvees.

"What kind of problem?"

"Norman Osborn is here," said Harry. "I know that cackle."

"He just tripped one of our sensors," said Frank. "And he's not alone."

"I think it is time Hermione and I changed uniforms," said Harry.

"Just make sure you are not seen," said Dr. Jackson.

As the crowd focused on the oncoming attacker, Harry and Hermione slipped under the bleachers and assembled their suits. They noticed that not only was the Green Goblin coming, but so was the Vulture. A hand full of dark wizards were with them.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we come with a simple message," yelled Vulture. "Surrender or be eliminated."

"I go with option C," said a voice from behind the attackers. The two New York villains looked in shock at Iron Mage and Iron Angel hovering behind them. "How about we kick your asses and send you to a new prison."

"Stark, I love what you did with the armor. Who's the woman," asked Goblin. "Your wife perhaps. It looks like we are going to make orphans out of your children."

Green Goblin charged at Hermione, while Vulture and the dark wizards targeted the diplomats stand. Hermione took off , taking Goblin out of the fight. While she distracted him, Clint and Bobbi rejoined the fight, chasing after Vulture in the Quinjet. That left Harry with the dark wizards.

"BOB, lock onto the remaining targets."

"Target's locked. We have a problem sir."

"What kind of problem?"

"The attackers have been working on destroying the structures holding people. Any attempts to hit hostiles that miss could send the structures crashing down."

"Evacuation would be too dangerous as well I am guessing."

"The mass scramble would cause a collapse as well."

"Hermione, how are things going with Osborn?"

"He is now running from me. I can't get a good shot. I have had lock on him many times, but he seems to have unlimited countermeasures."

"Swing him my way," said Frank. "I just need one clean shot. I should be able to take out his damn glider."

Hermione began firing at the lunatic, forcing him to go the way she wanted. She heard a shot ring out and watched the glider explode, sending it's rider falling to the ground. Before she could get to him, one of the dark wizards caught him and disappeared.

"Green Goblin's gone. Someone caught him and then they vanished."

"The other dark wizards are running away as well," said Jason. "We have a problem down on the ground. There are fires in the stands and people cannot get out."

"Clint, forget Vulture. Get back to the stadium. We are going to load the back with people and get them to safety. Jason, you guys grab your brooms and just grab people one at a time," said Harry. "Steven, stay on the ground and do what you do best. Hank is on his way with Aimee."

"What are we doing," asked Hermione.

"Putting out the fires and doing whatever we can to keep the stands from crashing down."

Everyone went into motion. Sirius apparated into the Quinjet and assisted Clint and Bobbi in their rescue operations. It was not long until not only were Talia, Mason, and Jason using their brooms, but students from the other schools. Teachers had also begun to do the same. Steven, Aimee, and Hank were treating injuries as the students were brought to them. Many people were worried about Hank, but were reassured when Aimee told them that it was a potions accident that went wrong. It was not long until all the stands were cleared. Harry and Hermione were putting out the fires when they heard a crashing sound. Harry saw one of the stands falling, about to land on the people on the field. He rushed to the falling structure and began firing everything he had at it. As the main support fell, Harry unleashed the power of his chest canon, disintegrating the structure. He and Hermione felt good. The attackers got away, but there were no deaths. A few people were seriously injured, but nothing life threatening.

"Good job guys," said Dr. Jackson. "We have one minor issue. How are we going to explain where Harry and Hermione were while everyone else was helping in the rescue efforts?"

"The truth," said Harry.

"I would advise against that," said Sirius. "That will paint a target on you."

"I am the son of Tony Stark. The son of Iron Man. I already have a target on me."

"I actually agree with Harry," said Clint.

"Me too," said Bobbi.

"Me too," said a voice Harry had not expected to hear.

"Dad?"

"We heard about the attack. We jumped on the comm channel and listened in. There is no reason to hide what people are going to figure out anyways. Especially since everyone knows that I am Iron Man."

"Then we tell the truth, but only if people ask," said Dr. Jackson. "Everyone get back to the Bunker as soon as possible."

After making sure all the injured were taken to the medical tent, the two Humvees, the quinjet, and the two armored suits returned to the Bunker where the Secretary of Magic was waiting for them.

"I am impressed. And so are our hosts. It is because of all of you that no one died today," said the Secretary. "I am having a hard time explaining what the two flying suits of armor were."

Harry and Hermione took off their suits and stored them in their uniforms.

"Suits designed to protect ourselves and others," said Harry.

"I should have known. Is this public knowledge?"

"Not yet, but we are sure it will become public soon. It is going to be hard to explain how two of us were not seen as part of the rescue, but two people in suits of armor were. I don't think people are that stupid," said Hermione.

"I agree. Well, I just wanted to say thank you for what you did today. I also want to say that your entrance into the stadium is going to be the talk of the night. I must say that I was worried about that stunt."

"We had it timed perfectly," said Jason. "I will admit that I was nervous when the doors opened. Once we left the jet though, it was the biggest rush of my life."

"Well, thank you once again. I can't wait to see you all compete."

Everyone made their way into the Bunker.

"Not bad Granger," said Frank. "Too bad I only hit the glider."

"We did what we could," said Dr. Jackson. "And we now have a bigger issue. The dark wizards involved in the attack were not Death Eaters. Those were a Russian group known as the Red Curse. They are hell bent on the fall of modern civilization."

"So all the terrorist witches and wizards are uniting," said Talia. "Just great."

"So is there talks of cancelling this event," asked Hank.

"No. The politicians feel that doing that would be giving the terrorists exactly what they want. Power."

"Security is going to be getting tighter," said Alex walking into the Bunker. "I just talked with the head of security for the event. They are bringing in a team of SAS wizards. I also volunteered to bring some of my other brothers."

"What other brothers," asked Dr. Jackson. "I thought you were an only child."

"Wrong type of brothers. I was born Alex Blackpaw. I am a werewolf. Not the kind that changes every time the moon is full and loses all control. I can change whenever I want and have complete control. The only issue is that you can't understand us when we are in wolf form. Members of my pack are coming in to assist in patrolling the events."

"How is it I never knew about that," asked Jackson.

"Even though we have complete control, people react poorly to us. It took an expert here at Hogwarts to confirm that we are different than what people know."

"So we are going to have SAS and werewolves protecting close to a thousand kids," said Frank. "That seems kind of underwhelming."

"Well, they have us too," said Hermione. "And you. And Clint and Bobbi. And Uncle Hank."

"That does not better the odds by much."

"We also have S.H.I.E.L.D. on standby," said Harry.

"Is anyone else thinking it is going to be hardtop enjoy this trip if this is how it started," asked Talia.

"We can't let this keep us from having fun," said Jason. "I refuse to become paranoid. I refuse to let psychopaths ruin my trip."

"I agree," said Harry. "And I have some ideas on how to make us safer. Don't worry. I will not be locking myself in the lab all day and night. Only for a few hours a day."

"I can handle a few hours out of the day," said Hermione.

"Alright guys. Get some rest. Trust that the people we brought with us will keep us safe," said Jackson. "And just as a precaution, I am allowing your pistols to be stored in your rooms. Do not take them out unless told otherwise."

The six teens walked into their rooms and quickly fell asleep. The day had been long and chaotic. Harry worried that the attack was only the beginning. He dreamt of different ways to keep his friends and the other students safe.

**So I have written this chapter like fifty times. I know the pace seems rushed. Things will be slowing down from this point on. Many, many changes coming next chapter. Keep the reviews coming.**


	10. Chapter 10

Harry woke up before everyone else the next morning. He quietly slipped out of his bed, doing his best to not wake up Hermione. She was not a morning person. She definitely was not a 5:30 in the morning person. After changing into his workout clothes, Harry went down to the gym and went through his usual workout. He also thought of other ways to protect other people in instances like the attack at the opening ceremonies. After his hour and a half workout, Harry ran up to his room and found Hermione just crawling out of bed.

"Are you really going to be getting up early every morning," she asked, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Not every morning, but most of them," he said with a grin.

"At least I get to fall asleep next to you. It would be nice to wake up to you too."

"Just think of it like this. The less often you get to wake up to me makes those moments more special."

"Damn your logic," she said as she crawled out of the bed. She walked over to him and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"That's all I get?"

"You stink, and you are sweaty. If you want more, you need to shower."

He walked into the bathroom and jumped into the shower. He was joined by Hermione shortly after getting in. The two quickly cleaned up, had a nice steamy session of love making, and then cleaned up again. After getting dressed, the couple joined the others in the kitchen. Harry saw Steven in his uniform and remembered the breakfast they were supposed to attend.

"Shit. What time is the breakfast at?"

"We need to leave in about ten minutes," said Steven.

Harry ran back to his room and put on his uniform in record time. He rushed back out to the kitchen and had Hermione make sure his uniform was put together correctly.

"It all looks right," she said. "Do you have your beret?"

Harry just sighed and ran back to the room. He found the black beret sitting on the dresser. He made sure it was his and then went back out to the others. After getting a quick briefing on proper uniform protocol from Dr. Jackson, Harry and Steven walked up to the huge castle.

"I can't believe people actually go to school in a castle," said Steven.

"I think it would be awesome," said Harry. "There is so much potential for chaos to be caused around here. All kinds of places Jason and I could use to pull off some insane stunts."

"And no central air conditioning," Steven reminded Harry.

"So we would have to make some modifications. Not hard. Although trying to install central air in this building would be an insane undertaking."

The two took in the sights before being found by Professor McGonagall.

"I was wondering if you were going to show up."

"We got distracted by the awesomeness of the castle," said Harry. "And no one told us where to go."

"So you two were just wandering around the halls?"

"Yeah. Sorry," said Steven.

"Not a problem. I'm just glad I found you. I will show you where the others are gathered."

Harry and Steven followed the old witch as she led them into a large chamber. The captains from the other teams had already arrived. They were all sitting at tables and talking amongst themselves.

"I would like to introduce you to the captains of Hogwarts," said McGonagall.

She escorted them over to a very tall and physically fit young man with dark black hair and a young petite woman with long red hair.

"I would like to introduce Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley," said McGonagall.

"Nice to meet you," said Harry shaking their hands. "I'm Harry Stark and this is Steven Wilson."

"Those are interesting robes," said Ginny, looking over the uniforms.

"That's because they aren't robes," said Steven. "They are uniforms."

"Do you not wear robes at your school," asked Neville.

"I can honestly say that this is the first time I have seen any witch or wizard in robes," said Harry. "The witches and wizards in the United States just wear regular clothes."

"That sounds better than wearing heavy robes everywhere you go," said Ginny. "Those uniforms don't look very comfortable."

"They take some getting used to," said Steven.

The four sat finally sat down at the table where food had appeared.

"This looks incredible," said Harry. "I'm starving after the workout I had."

"Do you work out often," asked Neville.

"Every day. No less than an hour a day. Sometimes a couple times a day, depending on my schedule. How about you?"

"I run for an hour every day. I swim once a week and I find random objects to lift and throw to get stronger," explained Neville.

Harry and Steven looked at each other at the mention of random objects being lifted to get stronger.

"So you don't lift weights?"

"Well everything I lift has some kind of weight. I am not sure what you mean."

Harry was blown away with how out of touch the British wizarding world was. He was again thrown for a spin when Ginny started asking questions.

"How were you able to make those muggle machines work? Was it just an illusion?"

"Please tell me you have heard of MageTech," said Harry. He could tell the answer was no by the looks on their faces.

"We are going to have to show you what all you are missing," said Steven.

"What do you mean," asked Ginny.

"I take it you did see the two flying suits of armor yesterday."

"That was awesome. What kind of spell did you use to make it do all of that," asked Neville with excitement in his voice.

"None. I used technology. It runs on a device that my dad invented. The magic it uses is run off of a similar device that holds a very large magical charge."

"But how did you control it?"

"I am in it," said Harry, deciding to just let the news out. "I am inside the suit. My girlfriend is in the other."

"That is so cool," said Ginny. "Do you know who those guys were that attacked everyone?"

"Oh yeah. They are pretty well known in New York. Not sure why they are over here," said Steven.

The four talked more about what competitions they were competing in while finishing their breakfast.

"So how many of these other schools speak English," asked Harry as he finished his meal.

"Most of them have at least one English speaking person," said Ginny. "We had to have translators come to assist us with most of the schools. I don't know anyone who speaks Chinese."

"My boyfriend does," said Steven, waiting to see what kind of reaction he would get by putting that information out.

"Really," said Neville. "That's pretty cool. And I can honestly say I have never met a homosexual man before. At least not one that was honest about it."

"We don't see any reason to hide it," said Steven, feeling relieved.

"Is it true that gay men love to do female things," asked Ginny, not sure if she was being offensive.

"Some do. My boyfriend is one of them. He loves shopping, getting pampered, and is very big on style and making sure everything he is wearing matches."

"What's funnier is out of the two of them, Mason looks more manly," said Harry. "Not saying that Steven doesn't, but Mason is just an inch shorter than Steven and is the most physically intimidating member of our team. He is almost 300 pounds of muscle and would scare most people."

"But then he starts talking and the fear goes away," said Steven. "He is like the world's biggest teddy bear."

"I would love to meet him, and the other members of your team," said Neville.

"Then why don't you join us for lunch down at our bunker," said Harry. "It will give you a chance to see what we have been able to do with magic and technology."

"I will have to check with Professor McGonagall first," said Ginny. "But I don't see it being a problem."

After a quick meet and greet with the other team captains, Harry and Steven returned to the Bunker. The other members of the team had already eaten and started on their training.

"So how was breakfast," asked Dr. Jackson.

"Interesting. Sirius might have a heart attack when he hears that his company isn't known around here."

"The British Ministry of Magic is doing everything it can to keep things as traditional as they can. Their Aurors are kind of like our FBI agents. The biggest difference is our guys have guns and wands. Aurors have a wand. They are damn good with it, but with the insane war that is looming, they will not survive."  
"Now I see why dad hates government officials," said Harry. "Who cares about keeping people safe. Better just to act like nothing is changing."

"That is the sad truth. And speaking of changing, we are going to start a new course today. All of you have become proficient at verbal and non-verbal spells. Now we are going to push things even farther. Time to try wandless magic."

"That sounds like fun," said Harry. "Who's the instructor?"

"That would be me," said the man Harry knew as Danny. Everyone else knew him as Iron Fist. "According to your professor, the discipline you need to perform the act of using magic without a wand is similar to that I need to harness my chi. This is one of those lessons where not everyone will succeed. The first crucial test is the first lesson. Meditation."

"I know a couple people that will have a hard time sitting still for a while," said Harry, thinking of Jason and Talia. "When do we start?"

"The others are just waiting for the two of you," said Iron Fist. "Change into more comfortable clothes and meet the rest of us in the dojo."

After changing, Harry informed Dr. Jackson of the two guests he invited over for lunch. He then rushed down to the dojo in the lower levels and found everyone sitting quietly.

"Thank you for joining us," said Iron Fist, his eyes still closed, as was the rest of the groups. "Please take a seat, assume the position you see the others in, and then close your eyes and concentrate on your magic. Fell it flow through you."

Harry did as he was instructed. Time seemed to slow down. Not a sound came from any of the teenagers.

"Now open your eyes," said Iron Fist.

Everyone did and realized that two hours had passed.

"Now I want all of you to stand up and form a line in front of this target. We are going to see who out of the six of you has the most control of their magic. You need to focus on channeling your magic through your hands."

Jason was the first in the line. He closed his eyes and focused. Everyone was impressed when they saw a red glow forming around his hand.

"Very good. Now hit the target."

"Like punch it," asked Jason.

"Do you punch with your wands?"

Jason knew the answer was no. He once again focused and held up his hand. He was disappointed when nothing happened. He began trying to launch the magic from his hand in different ways. It drew laughs when he tried throwing it like he was pitching a baseball. He was very frustrated. He decided that he was going to take that target down. He charged at it, punching it. The target exploded into dust.

"Not what this lesson was about, but very good use of the energy," said Iron Fist. "Can someone get me another target?"

Sirius and Aimee were in the room and enjoying the show. They were also wanting to learn about using wandless magic. Aimee formed another target and got ready for the show. The next four attempts were similar to Jason. Mason, Steven, Hermione, and Harry all were able to form the magic around their hands. They were unable to fire the spells from their hands. All of them took the Jason approach and destroyed their targets with devastating punches. Talia was the last to attempt.

"Try and focus it in your feet and kick the crap out of that target," cheered Jason.

Talia ignored him and focused on what Iron Fist wanted her to do. Like all the others she had gotten the magic to form at her hand. Unlike the others, she had formed it around both hands. Everyone noticed her eyes glowing red as well.

"I think she is more in tune with her magic than any of us," said Sirius.

Talia pulled her left arm back and fired a spell at the target, setting it on fire. She then pulled her right arm back and fired another spell that vaporized the target. Cheers erupted in the room.

"You young lady are going to be a force to be reckoned with," said Iron Fist. "With training, you will be even more powerful."  
"That felt good," said Talia.

"Why were her eyes glowing," asked Mason.

"I am not sure," said Iron Fist. "That is something we will look into during our time together."

"Harry, your two guests are here," said Frank walking in.

"I'll be right there."

While everyone else went to get quick showers, Harry ran upstairs and found Ginny and Neville talking to Sirius.

"Out of all the people you could meet, you meet the children of Alice and Frank Longbottom and Arthur and Molly Weasley," said Sirius.

"I take it you know their parents," said Harry.

"Knew them," said Ginny, sadness coming over her face. Harry knew that her parents were no longer around.

"I'm sorry," said Harry.

"It's ok. It is still hard to believe they are gone," said Ginny. "It hasn't even been a year yet."

"Why don't you guys have a seat," said Harry. "Sirius can keep you entertained and explain some of the technology around here while I get a quick shower."

Harry ran to his room and got a quick shower. He changed into comfortable clothes and returned to see everyone gathered at the table.

"Nice of you to join us," said Hermione with a smile. "We were just getting to know our guests."

"So what is your story," Neville asked Harry.

"Complicated and interesting at the same time. I was born to a witch and wizard. They were murdered when I was just a baby. I was sent to live with my mom's sister. She and her husband hated me. They beat me and starved me until I was five. One day, my uncle started hitting me in front of a restaurant where the man who would adopt me was eating. I was adopted by Tony Stark and was raised by he and the woman I have called mom, Pepper. I met Hermione on my eighth birthday and we have been close ever since. We have all been friends since our first day of school together. I have two college degrees and am a genius. What about you two?"

"I am the only child," began Neville. "My parents were tortured when I was a baby. They are still alive, but they do not know who I am nor do they know who they are. They are in a constant state of pain. Healers have tried everything they can. Nothing has worked in the fifteen years they have been at the hospital. I was being raised by my grandmother until she passed away back in March. I have been living with Ginny and her twin brothers since then. This past year has been pretty rough for the both of us."

"I am the only daughter in my family. I have six older brothers. Well had. One is unaccounted for. He went missing after my parents were killed. Things were pretty normal until just after Christmas break. The only people at the house were my parents. My youngest older brother and I were called to the Headmistress' office and told that our parents had died when our house had caught on fire. Ron freaked out and ran away. No one has seen him since. After school, Neville and I went to live with my twin brothers. We worked for them in their shop over the summer. We did everything we could to keep us distracted. Then we found out that the fire my parents died in was just to cover up the fact that they were murdered. No one knows why. It was revealed that they both had knives impaled into their hearts."

Ginny began to sob. Talia and Hermione had also begun to cry.

"I'm sorry," said Ginny.

"Don't be. I can't even imagine what you are feeling right now," said Harry.

"But your parents were murdered too."

"When I was a baby. I have no memory about them."

"So to change the subject away from less depressing," said Hermione, wiping the tears from her eyes, "What kind of shop do your brothers own?"  
"A joke shop," said Neville, allowing Ginny to regain her composure. "They wanted to bring in some new items but were stopped by the Ministry. The items have been banned by the government."

"What kinds of items were they trying to bring in?"  
"I don't know. Fred said that they were going to branch out into life changing items. They were even thinking about opening a new store," said Ginny.

"I would love to meet your brothers," said Jason. "I could always use some advice on new ways to cause chaos and mischief."

"They will be here for the first weekend of the competition," said Ginny. "They are very supportive of Neville and me. They even had no issue with us sharing a room at their house."

"So you two are a couple," said Harry.

"Yeah. You missed that part," said Jason. "They are a happily engaged couple."

"Engaged?"  
"We know it seems crazy, but after everything that happened, we didn't want to wait. We love each other. We won't be getting married until after Ginny graduates in two years," said Neville.

"Well congratulations," said Harry. "So, is there anyone else we should meet or watch out for?"

"There is one guy who has changed a lot. A year ago, we would have said keep away from this guy. Then he had a year like ours. His mother died from some disease that the healers could not stop. His father was already dark and evil, but this made him worse. He disowned his son and ran off. The guy has lived at Hogwarts since. He has become very distant from everyone. We have tried to talk to him, but he just walks away. No one knows if he still believes like his father or if he is adopting a new set of values and beliefs," explained Neville. "He used to be a bully. Now he gets bullied by the same people he used to call friends."

"What does the school do about the bullying?"

"Detention is about all they can do," said Ginny. "We have stepped in a few times. He simply says thanks and then walks away. People are starting to actually be worried that he might be suicidal. He has no support. I mean he has people that will listen, but he refuses to talk. He is bottling everything inside."

"Well, we will keep an eye out. We hate bullies," said Jason.

"If something happens, let us know," said Talia. "Maybe we can scare the bullies. We have that effect some times."

"We will," said Neville.

"Steaks are ready," called Hank walking into view of Neville and Ginny. Both gasped at the big blue man covered in fur. "I did not know we had guests."

"It's no problem. Uncle Hank, this is Neville and Ginny. Guys, this is my uncle Hank McCoy. He is a doctor and scientist."

"Why is he covered in blue fur," asked Ginny.

"I think the best way to describe it to those not familiar with mutants is a potions accident gone very wrong," said Harry.

"What is a mutant," asked Neville.

"A person with special abilities granted to them by an extra gene in the DNA," explained Hank. "Some abilities also come with changes in a person's physique and body structure. Some abilities are impossible to see. And when you put in a potion, as you would call it, into your body, you can end up like me. My mutation was pushed further. That is how I came to look like this."

"He's been furry ever since I can remember," said Hermione.

"That is so cool," said Ginny.

Everyone filled their plates with the lunch made by Hank and Aimee. After getting to know more about the other occupants in the bunker, Neville and Ginny said their goodbyes.

"We will see you at dinner," said Neville.

"We never miss a meal," said Steven.

"Great. Thanks again for lunch," said Ginny.

"No problem. We should do it again," said Mason.

"Hey, what is the name of the kid who has the bullying issue," asked Harry, realizing they never caught that information.

"Draco Malfoy."

**So having a job where my brain is working overtime has made it difficult to get any writing done. I finally got this chapter out. Tons of changes and more to come. Next chapter is the start of competitions. I'll have it out when I can.**


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